4 Succession
by maroongrad
Summary: Alexander Anderson gets an unexpected summons to meet with Integra, creating a very unhappy Alucard and Seras.  Character death, set in the anime universe post-Incognito. No longer a one-shot due to requests!
1. Chapter 1

*Nope, I don't own Hellsing. Wish I did! This is based more on the anime, after Incognito, although I don't reference him specifically, simply a "Battle of London." Integra didn't take Alucard up on his offer, and returned to running Hellsing after all. How does it end? Hope you enjoy. It's a bit sappy, but I liked the idea and wanted to put it down. Reviews are great!*

Succession

To say that Anderson was surprised at the summons would be an understatement. Nevertheless, Sir Integra Hellsing was requesting his presence in England. Crumpling the paper in his hand, he went to find his superiors and determine what he should do.

What he should do, apparently, was go to England. Stewing during the interminable train trip, he pondered events. For more than three decades, he and the Hellsing Institute had grappled for power, pushing at the edges of civility. The damned monsters had, he grudgingly admitted, proven more powerful than expected. He'd done his best to kill Alucard (if killing the undead wasn't already moot), and the vampire had never seemed more than somewhat annoyed and usually simply amused. On the other hand, the vampire had never seemed willing to kill HIM. Blow off his arms, taunt him, drop him in the sewer, and on one memorable occasion, have his fledgling blow up Anderson's car with her Harkonnen. With a humility that only came with age, Anderson had to admit he was only alive because Hellsing didn't want to kill him.

That didn't keep him from pushing the limits, seeing how far this surprising tolerance would extend. Sir Hellsing and his little demon spawn were those limits; any time he thought he might actually be able to destroy one of those two unholy bitches, Alucard would suddenly kick into a high gear and Anderson would be fleeing the scene. They were confusing.

And now, they wanted him to come to England.

The bright light of late morning shot through the window, startling him, as the train rumbled on out of the Chunnel and towards London. In less time than he hoped, he found himself standing in front of the mansion, forcing himself to exchange polite words with the guards, then following a prim young assistant up to Hellsing's office. The woman knocked, paused, and opened the door, motioning him in before leaving to return to her desk near the front doors.

He stepped in.

It was not Hellsing's office. It was Integra's bedroom. Shock and confusion set in for a moment until her voice, clear but weak, cut through him.

"Close the damn door, Paladin, and get your ass over here. We need to talk."

Moving to the chair by the bed, Anderson was shocked at what he saw. Integra had always been slender, never going to muscle or fat, but now she was simply skeletal. Her gray hair had gone thin and sparse, her face deeply lined and pale. Her lips had gone faintly gray, far from a healthy pink. Under her nose ran a thin, clear tube, delivering oxygen to what was clearly a dying woman.

"As you can see, I'm dying." Blunt and to-the-point as always. Having been to more than enough deathbeds in his roles as priest and paladin, Anderson noted her condition, accepted it, and simply waited to hear what Hellsing had called him for.

"This presents a problem. I have not had an heir, despite efforts. I have tried artificial insemination, hormone treatments, attempted to have a surrogate with my eggs, even considered cloning only to be told that my cells are not suitable. They could be suitable, but cancer cells metastasize and make it risky. We tried, and each cell had mutations or other problems and none of the embryos succeeded. I put it off too late, and now a child is impossible.

I am the last of my line, Anderson. The only relatives are distant cousins, meek and entirely unsuited to ruling a vampire, and when I die Alucard is going to be masterless." She paused, resting, breathing in the oxygen and watching Alexander.

"And you called me here...to destroy him?" Anderson hazarded a guess, unsure where this was going. "You can't be healed, I am the only successful regenerator and I have made certain the means to create another is destroyed. A regenerator could heal, but you cannot be one." He gave a humorless grin at that. After the agony of his change, watching every other candidate die in screaming pain or madness, then learning of the unholy roots of his powers...No. There would be no more Paladins, no more Holy Regenerators.

Integra snorted at this. Having taken that brief rest, she was ready to speak again. "Fool. If I wanted to live forever, I would have asked Alucard to change me. No, I am ready to die. I am not ready nor willing to leave Alucard without a master." She watched Anderson's face go from puzzlement to shock as he stared at her, clearly fearing what she would say.

"Alucard is bound to the Hellsing family willingly, but there are requirements. Temperament, intelligence, will, and more. He is...selective...about whom he will take as his master. My father was accepted as Alucard's master when he was younger, but it was a grudging acceptance. As he aged, it became clear that he really couldn't handle Alucard and his brother was a complete loss as well. Alucard chose to be sealed away when my father could not handle his rebellion; he placed his hope in my father's heir, and kept the bond in place. Fortunately for both of us, he found me acceptable."

Another pause while Integra replenished her oxygen, resting. Too old and wise to rush a story and exhaust herself before she finished, and knowing he was equally old and wise and willing to wait.

"We have both looked, for a very long time, for a suitable replacement. The binding ceremony bound him to Hellsings, any descendant of Abraham. We could renew the binding with a bit of blood and a minimal amount of ceremony. My...replacement...will have to perform the full bonding ritual. And we have found no one that we felt would be able to survive that and successfully bind Alucard."

Alexander sat, staring. He had a sick feeling where this was going.

"Alucard without a master would soon go insane. Less quickly than before, with his fledgling, but he knows what he would do and what would happen to him. He values his sanity. He is also fond of power, and the bonding and sealing rituals have substantially increased his. He does not want to lose either his mind or his powers. We have spent the last few generations combining binding and sealing, to create a single spell capable of transfering all of his abilities and controls without the years of effort spent previously."

"Magic. Black magic" Alexander said gruffly, "the work of the Devil, and ye call yourself a Christian woman." He looked at her scornfully.

Integra smiled coldly, "Alucard is controlled, and no Hellsing has made a deal with the Devil. Magic, yes. But not black nor white nor anything else, simply power, and Alucard is the result. The spell of his making, that we have found to be entirely evil. He is not a kind and loving person. But he is willing to serve, and willing to be controlled. And "magic" provides that leash."

She stared at him a long, chill time. "Even weakened by the loss of the Hellsing Binding, he'd kill you and half of England. As my ancestor Abraham found, he's not easy to kill. You've been trying for decades. And none of us have the cruelty to torture him with confinement; even when my father sealed him away, Alucard had access to his mind and feelings, stimulation and escape as he dreamed, and protection. So we choose to control him, and use him to protect and save others. I am content with my choice and my years as his master."

Again, a wait. Anderson wanted to talk, to argue, but her eyes were closed this time, and it took her longer than he expected to continue.

"When I die, he has no master. You have the options of either attempting to kill him, or to master him. He will be maddened, grieving, angry, and insane. And powerful." A cold grin, suited to her monster, graced her grey face. "Or you can take over as his master." Her smug gaze took in his crestfallen look. "You are the only human that is possible. The English royalty of my youth, the Queen, could have done so had it been necessary. But we have not found anyone else suitable, not at the strength he is now. You could. He would accept you, and you are going to be around a very, very long time." She rested again, watching him.

Of all the things that Anderson had considered for this meeting, this was the most unexpected outcome possible. He wanted to say no, to call her a vile bitch and a whore of Babylon, to throw back insults and stormn out, but he was far past an impetuous youth. Alucard would be free when Hellsing died, and that would be soon.

And he knew, realistically, that the vampire might well be a match for him. He might be able to physically defeat him, weakened from the loss of his Master, but he might also end up truly dead himself. The city had rebuilt itself after Alucard's power had nearly destroyed itself, but London's pain could be spread across the entire country and more if the vampire were unleashed and had no one to bring him to a halt.

A nuclear bomb might stop him, but Alexander wasn't going to count on that.

He thought of sealing the vampire away, and cringed. He had seen the results of people kept by vampires, when a hunted vampire had taken a few humans and kept them alive in its home. Isolated for weeks and months, no contact with each other, just food and water and four walls, they were usually too far gone to save. A sort of "living pantry" for a vampire who feared it might be hunted, they were nothing but near-catatonic shells when he'd found them. No, he couldn't seal away Alucard, much as he hated the beast.

"I'm a Catholic. Hellsing is Protestant." He offered this as a refusal, aware of the political upheaval that would result. He could handle a vampire, but he did not want Hellsing. Not at all.

"You won't be in charge of Hellsing. My assistant that you met at the door has been handling all the paperwork and is my heir. She can record the vampires and ghouls that attack and organize a response, plus handle running the estate and all the political bickering. As as long as you are willing to send Alucard out to hunt, there will be no issue. She has no field experience herself, but Alucard's Police Girl does, and she is perfectly capable of handling the military side. We're also a much...smaller...organization now. With two vampires and modern equipment, we keep a much smaller number of soldiers."

She grinned at him wryly, and after a short pause said, "Only my vampires can kill the other vampires with any sort of reliability. Hellsing Institute cannot function without their assistance, and Alucard will not be able to function without you. You will likely not be knighted nor forced onto the Round Table. That lovely honor will go to my heir downstairs. You will be a part of Hellsing, but it will not consume you as it has me."

She paused for a bit, eyes closed, and he saw her hand move slightly to push a button. Concerned, he began to rise, fearing some sort of bizarre trickery. However, the person that came in the opening door was not a vampire or a soldier, but a doctor. With a brief nod to the stranger beside his employer's bed, the doctor glanced at the little monitor perched beside Integra before speaking to her softly and giving an injection into the tube in her arm.

Alex paused in thought. He hadn't seen the tube, and that was a fairly large syringe that had just been emptied into it. Clearly, Integra was failing quickly. Reading his face, she spoke. "Vitamins, glucose, and pain medicine. I knew this would be taxing and had a little pick-me-up prepared. I will also say this. Hellsing is not my concern. The soldiers have a nice retirement package prepared, as does staff, should you choose to take the vampires back to Italy with you. I do ask that you keep allowing them to hunt problem vampires, but otherwise, this is no longer my concern. I only wish to provide for Alucard. Should you stay with Hellsing, you will receive a substantial stipend, and the vampires will be provided with Crown funding for their care. Leave England, and that vanishes." Another grin. "They're going to be quite independently wealthy, though, so I don't really expect that matters too terribly much. My heir will find her fortune substantially diminished, although sufficient."

"What does Alucard say to this?" Anderson couldn't begin to picture it.

"He doesn't know. I needed to speak with you first. I wore them out by keeping them awake most of yesterday and then sent them out on a wild-goose-chase mission last night. They're asleep, and Alucard isn't going to know you were here until he comes in the office and smells you. That won't happen until late tonight. He's going to be furious, but this is really his only option. He'll accept it."

Anderson pushed out of the chair, pacing. He hated to do this in front of someone so ill; physical exuberance in others invariably wore them out. But this was so much to be asking. Alucard was a hateful, vile creature, and to be bound to him? For as long as he could foresee? And what about that Seras creature? He spun to face Integra. "Seras." It was a question and a command, and one that he was surprised not to have thought of.

"Seras is not an issue. She has been offered freedom by Alucard but is entirely content with her current position. She has friends here, a family in her Master, and a job in which she finds herself useful and effective. She'll go with him; separating them would be cruel. As long as you are his Master, she'll cooperate easily. It's been very nice having one subordinate that is easy to work with." Integra sighed briefly. "I believe that Alucard gave her her freedom a month ago, when I became bedridden. I haven't asked, as it has not been an issue other than that she would be more powerful. She's still biddable and good-natured."

Alexander would have laughed at the thought of a good-natured vampire, but remembering the easy camaraderie he had observed between her and some of the troops, he could begin to believe it. Her expressions were also human. While Alucard was clearly an inhuman monster, you had to see Seras's red eyes to know differently. He shrugged to himself. If he controlled Alucard, well, Seras was a weaker vampire. He could kill her himself if she became a problem.

"Aye." Gloomy at the thought of all he would be giving up, but also somewhat rejoicing inside at the fact of finally being one-up on that damned monster, he accepted his new role. "Now what do we do from here?"

"There is a book in the top drawer. Take it to the library and read it. When you are doing, come back here and have me woken up. Finish it before evening. Ask my assistant for a meal and anything you need." Integra said this without even opening her eyes, clearly needing a rest.

xxxxxxx

Anderson closed the book with a sigh. This was going to be one long, bloody ritual, alright. And the vampire was going to bite him? It worried him as a Paladin, and he felt an incredible respect for the original Hellsing and his ability to bind the damn monster in the first place. He also felt a bit of pride, sin though it was, in Integra's firm belief that he, too, would be able to control the monster.

The book had clearly been prepared for such an occasion. It had over a hundred pages detailing what the vampire was like. Alexander had been amazed at the information, for it gave a depth to Alucard that he had never imagined. The first pages were directly from Abraham's Journals, and covered observations of Alucard's behavior and conjectures about possible reasons. The vampire's likes, dislikes, and motives were laid clear. A substantial portion of this section was devoted to how to keep the vampire away from women, and an equally sized section covered the vampire's clear aversion to men. Anderson had to wonder why he was selected for Alucard's master, being male, but he himself could come up with no potential female candidate. Even Heinkel Wolfe was aging and gray, and far too unbalanced to lead a vampire, and she was the strongest woman (other than Hellsing) he'd met.

Other pages listed weaknesses and strengths, many of which Alexander was already familiar with, and he found himself skimming over those. Then, he reached the section he was dreading; magic and the vampire.

The spell that had created the vampire was mentioned, and the means of powering it. The descriptions of the incredibly painful deaths, impalements, dismemberments, and more, all providing fuel for the spell. Seductions and not-so-willing sexual encounters, self-sacrifice by fasting and self-mutilation, complex rituals and sealing it all, a deal with some sort of demon. Alex shuddered. The human Alucard had been as much a monster as any vampire he had hunted, and he had little doubt that this section of the book was to underscore just what he'd be controlling.

The next section changed. "As all things change with time, so the vampire Alucard is and is not the man that committed those atrocities. He is an amoral and evil creature, but other facets of his personality have been developed as the years have passed. He shows care and concern for a limited number of people, especially his master, beyond simply their physical well-being for his own well-being. He can be viciously cruel, and then patient and calm. The most that can be said about him is that he is consistently inconsistent, but he has mellowed. While still capable of the same atrocities, he has no true urge to commit them without provocation and is often perfectly content with a book, a quiet room, and a bottle of blood. The monster that he was originally is a creature to destroy. The monster that he is now is worthy of keeping. He has the potential to be very useful while posing a low risk to humans under a cautious master."

And then the binding ritual began. Alex found himself tensing as he read the words, seeing what he would need to accomplish. The vampire, capable as he was of melting his flesh and changing his shape at a whim, had to be physically restrained, kept in his human form, to be subjected to the binding ritual. The first few pages described the restraints needed; woods, silver, religious implements, and more. Plus, the vampire's willing cooperation.

Afterwards, it became gory, even to a hardened Paladin. He would have to brand the seal onto the heart of the vampire, pulling apart the ribcage to reach it. Abraham had apparently been able to cut a much simpler pattern, using an incision under the ribs. Alexander would not be so fortunate. Then again, there was no cutting into the heart. A silver brand, dipped in his own blood, would burn the symbol into the monster.

The binding involved him being bitten, and he would have to fight for control with his mind, not falling prey to the effect of a vampire's bite. He had a small advantage here over Hellsing, having been bitten before during fights. He knew a little of what to expect, and didn't have to fear being ghouled, not as a regenerator.

Here, the book said, he could rest and recover for a day. The vampire would be left in a weakened condition, still restrained. Alex winced a bit, aware that even Alucard would be in pain after this ritual, despite the fresh blood, and that the restraints themselves would be physically painful. As soon as he was ready, there were a series of other symbols that did require carving, but only into the skin. More silver brands, each already highly charged with power from decades of preparation, cut the time to a minimum. Initially, it had taken hours, days, and more to fully complete each level of the Seal. The only time delay now would be Alexander's ability to create new blood to seal each level of power, and his own physical speed. The book was written assuming the new master would be only human, not regenerator.

This was going to save that vampire a substantial amount of agony and time.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Alexander returned to the room, finding Integra looking as ill and pale as when he had left. He had delayed to eat a meal, leaving her as much rest as he could, but she was clearly still exhausted and he suspected she never got any better.

"I can do this, and will. When?"

Integra looked at him, once sharp eyes now vague with pain medicine and her own weariness. "Any time, the sooner the better. The supplies are all gathered. You found the key in the book?" At his nod, "The directions to find the equipment I wrote in the back of the book. I'll need to tell Alucard, and then I think you'll be needed within the week." Clearly aware of and accepting of her coming demise, her calm bravery unnerved him, for he had always thought of her as a termagant, a bitch, not this calm, quiet, accepting and serene creature. A slight smile twitched a corner of her lips. "You might want to call the Vatican and let them know. Now, please call my assistant, Alice, to my room."

A short time later, Integra was introducing them as "Alucard's likely new master" and Alice was "The Head of Hellsing."

As she put it "Anything else, you two and the vampires will work out the details. "

Alucard was summoned, and enraged was a lesser term than needed to describe his reaction. Betrayal, anguish, shock, and...fear? Seras's fear he could understand, she looked at him with huge eyes and her body trembled, but she refused to leave, standing bravely by her masters. Alucard, to his utter shock, crawled into Integra's bed, carefully avoiding the tubes and wires to sob into her neck. Raising a weak hand, Integra carefully patted his head, quietly ordering both Alexander and Seras to leave.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Alexander waited in the kitchen, Seras with him. While still watching him out of the corner of her eye, she had quickly accepted that he obviously was not here to kill her or Integra, or really to do any harm. At this point, he was seated at the table with a mug of coffee, and she was perched at the opposite end of the room on a stool, sucking at a blood pack.

Disgusting.

But he'd better get used to it.

"He hasn't admitted she's that ill." He raised his head, surprised at the sudden interuption into the silence. "Alucard, that is." Seras elaborated. "He keeps thinking that medicine will come up with another miracle and that this will be cured. He's been in denial for years, about the situation with the heirs and about her illness."

"Illness. What is it, then, that's killing her?"

"She got cancer, which I think you knew. The drugs to treat the cancer had a rare side-effect, and they've affected her ability to reproduce. The treatments to counteract this effect didn't work, and caused other problems on top of the initial ones by the cancer. There is a lot of old damage, injuries and scarring from fights and the great battle of London, plus more damage from the delayed medical treatment afterwards. She had a known medical allergy to a type of anesthesia, but with medical records destroyed and hospitals operating with major damage, no one knew that. That caused more damage to her liver and other organs, which meant that when she received cancer treatments and more later on, she couldn't process the chemicals correctly. She also can't tolerate the drugs, now, that would allow a transplant." Seras looked at him, very serious, very sad.

"She wore out, Anderson. Too much damage, and it just kept coming. And she could never stop, never rest and really recuperate. She smoked and drank, dealing with the stress, she never ate well or slept well, she worked constantly trying to rebuild London and hunt those bloody freaks down, and her body just...wore out."

A crooked smile, reminscent of the one Integra had given him. "Alucard does not deal well with human mortality. He tries to avoid becoming too attached, but really, there has been only Integra and I for a very long time. Walter passed on, and Alucard became even more attached to her when dealing with his death. Before, there have always been other Hellsings around. Wives, a child, a cousin. But Richard ended that, took away the Hellsing family, and there was just Integra and Walter, and then me.

And now there's just going to be me." Seras's eyes glistened, and Alexander sat in mute shock as a red tear trickled down her cheek. A monster, a vampire, crying? He had seen them weep in fear, and in pain, but he had never seen one capable of crying from true human emotions.

"Lass..." sad red eyes looked up, "That is why Integra called me to come here. If Alucard agrees, he'll have me as a master, and I'm a bit more durable than most humans. You two won't be alone for a very very long time." The vampire stared back, her face unreadable. Alexander got up, intending to walk towards her slowly and reassure her, worried at her frozen silence.

That was what he intended, but he made it halfway across the room and she fell off the stool.

He couldn't help it, he laughed, and her shock gave way to embarrassment, chased away by humor. The assistant, whose name he still did not know, entered to find them both sitting on the floor, whooping with laughter.

Wiping away the tears of humor, he composed himself, giving the little Draculina an entirely unnecessary hand in lifting herself off the floor. Nonplussed, the assistant waited, trim and disapproving in a charcoal suit and hair in a bun, and looking so like the old stereotype of a librarian that he waited for her to shush them. The humor hit him again, and he had to fight a grin off his face. It was entirely unsuitable, but humans, and apparently vampires, could react strangely to stress.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The bedroom was now dimly lit, the sun long since set. Out of deference to the vampire's the lights were low and dimmer than normal, out of deference to the humans, the lights were on, period. The soft yellow lighting helped hide the gray of Integra's skin but rather than a soft glow it left her a sickly yellow. Alucard remained, curled into a tight ball beside her, her hand resting on his head. This, the deadly killer and maniacal monster he had hunted for decades, was Alucard? The sad, lost, vacant expression did not change, and the vampire remained effectively out of the conversation that followed. The vibrant killer with his gleeful taunts was gone, leaving only a sad ghost behind.

"We have an agreement for you to sign. I suggest you do so quickly, a room is set aside for you. You may leave to bring anything you wish from Italy, but I suggest you stay." Integra's voice failed slightly at this as she looked down at her monster. "Thank you, Anderson." Her eyes lifted again as she smiled weakly at him, then closed them, sleeping beside the unseeing, lost monster curled beside her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The agreement was very simple, what she had outlined, with more details such as amounts, a yearly stipend, the requirements for him to receive it, and more. There was no fine print, it was as clear and to-the-point as could be expected from a person who had shed such frivolities at the end of her life. She had already signed it, with her witnesses beside it. The doctor and assistant witnessed his signing, and the lawyer, present even though it was past midnight, took the signed paper and left with it. Alexander tried to sleep but found himself staring at the white sheet of paper, his own copy, lying on the nightstand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He never spoke with Integra again.

He'd called Rome early in the morning their time, still dark in England, and ordered them to send his belongings with a clerk, immediately. A chauffer would meet the clerk at the station and bring him his belongings. Alex was certain that this could be arranged by Hellsing and if not he'd take a cab and go himself. At least this way, his things were on the way.

By late morning, he was standing in grim silence as the will was read. Alucard and Seras were absent. The vampire had broken down completely at Integra's death. When the machines had signaled that she had passed, the doctor had entered the room to find the vampire motionless and unresponsive. Seras had carried him down to his coffin and remained with him.

By early evening, he was standing beside Alucard's coffin, worried for his new charge, asking if the vampire would be willing to be bound. The vampire hissed at him, seeming to have returned to the nonverbal state described in the book. The hiss was half-hearted though, more resigned than anything, and the vampire simply rolled over and went back to staring at the side of his coffin.

Alex slept well, making certain he would be well-rested for the binding, waking late the next morning and eating hugely. Integra's funeral was scheduled the next day, and much as he hated making Alucard and himself miss it, it was not avoidable. The vampire was at risk of going insane from the loss and had to be bound, immediately.

By late afternoon, he was in the room, brushing holy water on the steel diagram embedded in the floor, finding the restraints and arranging the great manacles and silver blades about the room. To his surprise, Alucard joined him, working silently to arrange the basin that Alexander filled with holy water, opening the crates to remove candles, and laying out everthing from scalpels to tiny vials to an intricate set of finely carved jewels. He moved silently, responding to any request with a sort of automatic acquiesence, handing over tools and moving boxes, but never blinking, never making eye contact, just moving, always moving. As Alexander set out the silver brands, which the vampire had refused to touch, he noticed Alucard had vanished.

He found the vampire, curled up around his fledgling, face buried, as she held him, quietly reassuring him in her low, soft voice. Sitting beside them on her bed, he patiently waited. Eventually, the vampire uncurled, still silent, and they returned to the ritual chamber. Seras was barred from entering; only the two of them could be involved in this ritual. He sent her out, worrying about who could comfort her, and amazed himself at his worry. Less than 2 days earlier, he'd have gleefully killed her had he encountered her alone. And now, he was concerned for her?

By nightfall, he was covered in blood, the vampire screaming underneath him.

By midnight, he was drained and weak, the vampire curled against his legs as he sat, back to the wall, and tried to eat the food he had brought with him. The juice choked him as it went down, and the spasms as he coughed brought whimpers of pain from the vampire.

By the wee hours of the morning, he was through most of the Seals and fighting to Seal the Hellhound.

By dawn, he was damp with sweat, exhausted, and smearing his blood across the last brand on the vampire.

As the sun rose, it found him lying on the floor with the vampire, one sleeping the sleep of the undead, the other so exhausted there was little difference. Seras entered when the room was again silent, carefully pouring blood into Alucard's mouth and watching as, unconcious, he swallowed it down and healed further. Alex was given a few mouthfuls of more juice, with the same result. She then carried her new masters out. Seras had been unsure what to do with them, but Alucard needed his coffin. Placing him in the coffin, she had turned, planning to take Anderson to his bed. Alucard began to cry out for his Master, clearly not awake, thrashing about and rising half-out of his coffin. She raced to get Anderson, only to find him, half-aware himself, leaving the ritual room and moving to the vampire.

Day began with the vampire, the master, and several blankets together in the coffin. Seras worried that the human would be too cold down in the basement, but morning and fatigue pushed her into her own coffin.

At noon, she awoke, bringing them blood and soup, pleased to find Anderson awake and holding a peacefully sleeping Alucard.

By afternoon, they were both awake, cleaned, and recovered, although Alucard was still mute.

At dusk, he stood beside the grave of his lost Master, throwing the first handful of dirt on her coffin. Seras and Anderson stood back, allowing him his grief and dignity as he mourned the loss of the woman and leader he had so treasured.

At nightfall, Anderson turned out the light, still exhausted from the tumultous events of the last few days, and no longer in a guest room but in a room prepared especially for him, including great thick dark curtains on the single window and a terminal with phone and intercom waiting by the bed.

By midnight, he was aware of a cold, still weight pressing down on his feet, and carefully covered his vampire with a thick warm blanket.

Vampires. Seras, too, was curled up at his feet, both she and Alucard looking miserable, neither actually asleep. Alexander was unable to sleep after this, hurting for them both. They had a family of three, and the person they both depended on was gone, leaving them broken. He spent time stroking them, murmuring words of reassurance, familiar and comfortable with this task, at least, after his many years in the orphanage.

By dawn, all three were sleeping peacefully, both vampires curled against the regenerator, heads on his chest and their hands intertwined.  



	2. Chapter 5 : Wolfe

*The afternoon after the funeral...how is the Vatican going to handle this?*

Wolfe

This was not going to be an easy meeting. Alexander had some notice that she was coming, but that really only meant that he had a few hours to be worried. At the news that he was leaving the Vatican and staying in England as Alucard's Master, there had apparently been a bit of an uproar at Iscariot. Bit, meaning pandemonium, chaos, and bedlam.

And now Heinkel Wolfe was on her way to save him, rescue him from the clutches of Hellsing. He'd been called to inform him to pack his belongings. He had the definite impression that she was meant to help him destroy the two vampires that had clearly bewitched him, and then rescue him and haul him back to Italy.

Looking down at the vampires curled tight against him, he really didn't think this was going to be happening. Alucard had stayed within a few feet of him since their arrival in the bedroom the night before. Seras had only left briefly, returning with a few bags of blood for them and then hovering as well. Both vampires were being very very quiet, but a large stack of stained tissues overflowing the wastebasket by the couch made it clear what they were thinking.

Even when he was eating, they hadn't done more than wrinkle their noses, still staying close to him. Human food seemed to nauseate them; the roast beef had been very tasty to Anderson, but the vampires clearly thought otherwise. A brief image of this being used as a weapon made Anderson smile; Iscariots racing to battle with barbecued ribs, roast chicken, and other items hanging from their necks!

For now, Anderson was staying seated on the couch. Beside him were several stacks of journals and notes, dating back to the time of Abraham Hellsing. He was learning as much as he could about his new charges as quickly as possible. Soon, he'd have to tackle Integra's notes about Seras, but finding out about Alucard took precedence. It had been enlightening, although much of it had been summed up in the book he had read previously, it was still different to read about the actual experience first-hand. For a short time, Alucard had been reading them as well, head resting on his Master's chest and reading the pages along with Anderson. He'd had the occasional comment and a few corrections about what was actually occuring, then fallen back asleep shortly afterwards.

The vampires really needed to be sleeping in their coffins. For now, they would be alright, a few days without weren't going to cause problems, but it appeared that one of his first demands as their master would be to chivvy them off to a decent sleep. Shortly after his late lunch, they had fallen asleep.

This was when the butler arrived to announce that Heinkel had arrived. He'd warned the vampires that Iscariot was sending someone, but all that accomplished was making them more determined than before to stay beside him. He knew Alucard had both his guns on or near him, and he suspected Seras had a few pieces of weaponry tucked about herself, as well. However, both vampires were sound asleep as Heinkel walked in the doorway.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Of all the things she had expected, this was not it. A smug and arrogant Alucard, laughing over a dazed and clearly bewitched Anderson, she had almost expected. She was certainly prepared to be attacked by the vampires, and had been working hard to come up with various ways to undo any sorcery the Iscariot had been subjected to. She expected snarling vampires, gleeful over their victory, and had arrived armed to the teeth with holy water, scriptures, and blessed silver bullets. If she was really lucky, she might even find one or both vampires asleep, and she could kidnap Anderson and sneak away with him.

What she hadn't expected was to be met at the door by the new, rather harried-looking, Head of Hellsing herself. Instead of being escorted to the dungeons and some sort of red-velvet den of iniquity, she was taken through a quiet, clean series of hallways, all very ordinary for the upper-class homes, and then found herself in front of a plain wooden door. The woman knocked briefly and opened it, then walked off.

The door swung open, and Wolfe pulled her guns, preparing to race forward and fight for her friend's freedom. Instead, she froze at the sight before her. For a few moments, she wondered if two humans, willing to pretend to be vampires, were there on the sofa. But her nerves screamed at her, well aware that those were vampires.

Two vampires.

Curled up on the couch with Anderson. The female was dressed in a fuzzy soft cream sweater and leggings, not the getup of the Harlot of Hell. Alucard...it had to be him. She couldn't even see his face, it was tucked against Alex's chest. His hat, his coat, they were all gone, and he was wearing a simple white shirt and dark pants. Both vampires appeared to be sound asleep.

Blinking, she took in the rest of the scene. Boxes of tissues, and an overflowing trashcan. With...a handful of empty...transfusion...bags? Alex wasn't fighting any sort of restraints, he was simply wearing a tshirt and jeans, and didn't look much different than she'd seen him before. But those weren't orphans next to him, they were VAMPIRES. Scattered about his lap, in stacks on the floor in front of him, and piled on the coffee table beside him were over a dozen very old books.

It was such a perfectly domestic, unthreatening scene that Heinkel stood blinking, in total shock. Alex watched her back, a faint smile playing across his lips.

"Ye might want to put those up, you won't be needing them." He spoke very quietly, nodding slightly at the guns that hung from her hands. Embarassed, she tucked them back into her holsters, and stood, for the first time in many, many years unsure of what to do next.

Of all the scenes and situations she had mentally prepared herself for since finding out about Alex's...corruption, this was so very different that she was at a bit of a loss.

Alex nodded to the chair across from him, a very standard, stuffed, comfortable-looking armchair. "Have a seat, we'll get some refreshments and then we'll talk." As he said this, a servant walked in, carrying a small tray of drinks and snacks. He'd clearly been ready for this before she arrived. Alex smiled briefly. "I'd told the staff that if there weren't any gunshots or yelling in the first few minutes, to go ahead and bring in a tray. I'd been hoping ye'd take time to find out what was happening rather than coming in guns blazing." His familiar smile lit his face. "And ye didn't disappoint me."

A few hours passed of comfortable chatting. The vampires slept through almost the entire afternoon. As evening fell, Alucard began to stir. Heinkel watched in astonishment as the vampire grumbled a bit, then rolled his head back, looking up an Anderson with such an unexpectedly peaceful expression, so very different from the insane grin that she knew, that Heinkel gasped. Alucard immediately twisted to face her, pulling away from Anderson in a smooth, swift move, guns suddenly appearing in his hands even while he blinked sleep away from his drowsy eyes.

"Nay, you won't be needing those. She's been here all afternoon, it's alright." Alex soothed Alucard much as she'd seen him do with the children, then to her even greater surprise, he casually stroked Alucard's head, petting the ancient vicious monster like some sort of child or pet. Alucard simply settled back down, almost melting against Alex as he resumed his relaxed position, though this time facing her. The guns vanished back into the couch. Seras woke then, oblivious to Heinkel as she stretched slightly, and then yawned. No, there was no doubt these were the vampires, not with that set of teeth. She reached towards Alucard, clearly still drowsy and half-asleep, and the vampire's hand lifted to cover hers as she settled back against Alex.

That was when she saw Heinkel and suddenly bolted upright, eyes huge. The younger vampire also pulled a gun out, apparently hidden between couch cushions. With a snort, Alucard, not even looking at it, lifted it from her hands, then placed it behind him with his own. Seras looked at him, looked at Alex, and then turned back to Heinkel. It took her a few tries to get it out, but she did manage some sort of greeting.

"Um. Hello?"

Within a few hours, Heinkel had left, travelling back to Rome on the Iscariot's jet. She had no Alex with her, and the vampires were as healthy and untouched as when she had arrived. What she did have was the promise that Alex and his new, family?, would be visiting Italy and seeing the orphans and other members of Iscariot. He was no longer likely to be considered one, but she didn't think that really mattered to him, not anymore.

Iscariot's members were like a family, but as he had not aged, he'd buried far too many as they fell to illness, injury, and the simply ravages of time. He'd become withdrawn over the last decade; the only one that remembered him from a happier time was Wolfe herself. He'd long since withdrawn from everyone else, distancing himself from them, unable and unwilling to form new relationships only to watch them die in battle or from age.

She wasn't so sure about the members of his new "family" but she was certain of one thing.

Alex was finally happy again. And there was no witchcraft or devilry in that. He was needed, he was wanted, and he was cared for and in the short time he'd been gone, he had blossomed into the man she remembered. He had a family that wasn't going to die on him, wasn't going to go gray and feeble as Wolfe knew was happening to her.

No, there was no way she'd let Iscariot ruin this for him. But it would be a lot of fun seeing how the members reacted when Alucard came along during the visit.

The grin on her face went unseen by her pilot, which was fortunate, for its glee and the smirk it incorporated made it her look briefly like Alucard! 


	3. Chapter 2 : Different

*I know, I know. I said Oneshot but I had a request for a second chapter or a few more in this combination, and I had to oblige. Alucards POV instead of Andersons this time around*

Different

Alucard shifted about, Seras's arm tight about his waist, his own arm flung across the paladin. It was night, he should be awake, but both he and Seras found themselves unwilling to be up and about. He was more than experienced enough to recognize a vampire's mourning. It was more of an instinctive self-preservation, staying hidden while whatever predator had managed to kill a vampire left the area.

Recognizing it as instinct didn't make the response any less real. Integra might not have been a vampire, but she had been the core of his life for decades. With her death, he found Seras clinging to him, and he hovered about the Paladin. Even in the dark of night, there was no place he wanted to be other than next to his Master.

Anderson reminded him of Abraham. Size, personality, even the way they slept and their smells were so similar. Closing his eyes, he could almost imagine himself with Abraham. It was even Abraham's old room they were in, though the furniture had changed over the century, it was a comfortable place to be.

He still missed Integra. Her loss ached in him, a void like the one described in those cheesy novels his child read, but still there. He missed the scent of those damn cigars, the shouts, the wisdom and the iron will that she had ruled him with. He'd cherished her as his master, from the time the little girl shouted him down until the time she passed away, fingers threaded through his hair, sleeping next to him.

Anderson. Her final gift to him, a gift of such wisdom and insight that he was almost speechless. He would never had thought that this mad man, the one that threw himself into pursuit of vampires so gleefully, the vicious killer that plotted to destroy his family, would put that aside to take the reins as his master. That he would join Alucard's small family, rather than take the opportunity to destroy it, was incomprehensible to the vampire.

Integra had seen it, had seen the other side of the man. She'd realized that a man that worked with orphans must have a deeper, stronger side to himself, a kinder and more human side. Her last day of life had been spent bringing that man to Alucard and convincing him to accept a bond, then convincing Alucard to accept Anderson as a master.

Integra had never been one to flaunt her emotions. He had known how deeply she cared for him and Seras, he had never wanted for anything physical. She and Walter had kept him in comfort, providing company when he chose it and providing an entertaining and full life for him. However, she had not been so prone to physical displays of affection. A smile and a nod went a long way towards showing her emotions toward him. He had not minded in the least, well aware of her mental state and the warmth she truly felt for himself and his child. While she would allow him to rest next to her, she rarely sought his company or invited him to so do herself. It was not something that she needed or desired.

Anderson would be different. Kinder. Softer. More inclined to touch and be touched. And his life with the children, or perhaps that was why he had chosen that life? made him willing to indulge his vampires in a level of physical closeness that Integra rarely achieved. Even in their first day together, Anderson had spent most of the afternoon ignoring the lawyers and the clamoring and the commotion following the funeral, and simply spent it holding Alucard on the couch, Seras resting next to them.

Anderson was not Integra. He would be very different. As a pair of thick fingers ran through his hair and a chin came to rest on the crown of his head, Alucard finally allowed a small smile to cross his lips.

Different.

But a fine Master, still.

This might be more than tolerable, after all. 


	4. Chapter 3 : Shaving

*I had to. I just had to.*

Shaving

There were definite downsides to be a regenerator. While he cared deeply for his vampires, and knew that a little fresh blood once in a while was a necessity for them, he knew they didn't need it as much as they claimed.

But apparently, as Alucard's master, his blood was an exceptional treat. They certainly reacted strongly to the tiniest wound, and he had to be careful of any nick or scratch around them, or he'd have big-eyed, doleful vampires staring woefully at him for a taste. It didn't help when they realized that he regenerated blood almost immediately, too, so there really WASN'T a reason he couldn't feed them, right?

They were absolutely lacking in restraint if they thought they might get a little taste. It wasn't threatening, but it was annoying. He was well aware that he indulged them far too often.

He finished hanging a framed scripture on the wall, checking the windows, ceiling, the back of the door, the floor, and every likely entry point for a scripture or a crucifix. The bathroom looked rather ridiculous at this point.

But dammit, he WOULD be shaving in peace today. 


	5. Chapter 4 : First Hunt

*Well, so much for a one-shot. Reviews are appreciated, they really spur me to keep writing!*

First Hunt

Well, this had been a mistake. Anderson and the Hellsing vampires had gone on their first hunt together, and things had not gone as planned.

A vampire (a small nest of them, really) had been found feeding on hikers near Dover. Anderson and the vampires had taken a small group of the Hellsing operatives to eradicate the nest. With a regenerator and two vampires, the handful of Hellsing operatives really wasn't needed. However, having uniforms and a military presence could really come in useful on occasion if a member of the public showed up.

He'd been amused to find out that there were apparently an exceptional number of unexploded bombs about the English countryside left from wW2 that required cordoning off a very large area while being deactivated. What was more amazing was exactly how much those bombs resembled vampires. It worked, though; no one really wanted to be around if a bomb did go off, slinging shrapnel for long and dangerous distances through the air. Hellsing operatives sometimes jokingly referred to themselves as Bomb Disposal Units.

Therefore, he'd taken the men with him. He hadn't really expected for them to do much of anything, and they hadn't expected to, either. They were there to run interference, and except for the commander they were all very green. This sort of job was going to be overkill for either of the Hellsing vampires. Having both of them as well as Anderson was redundant beyond belief.

He'd been right, mostly. He'd counted on a small pack of weak, panicky, crazed monsters, and he'd been correct. The beasts hadn't even had the sense to keep their ghouls out of sunlight, and only one was there to lumber out at them. The vampires were nothing, really. He and Alucard had played with them briefly while Seras gave them both dirty looks and killed her share with a little more effort. The troops were less than a hundred yards away, watching with a combination of interest and, for the new ones, horror.

Anderson made one very serious miscalculation.

Much like Alucard was doing, he'd allow a vampire to land a few blows on him, playing with it a bit before killing it. He didn't draw out the killing itself, but being out and fighting was too enjoyable to rush. The vampire slashed at his chest, leaving four long and deep scratches. Anderson barely noticed, grinning as he raised a bayonet.

Alucard and Seras went insane. With shrieks straight from Hell itself, they launched themselves at the vampire. As fast as Anderson could blink, the vampire went from aggressive attack to a cloud of dust in the air. The Hellsing vampires had literally ripped it to shreds, then turned and tore into the remaining two vampires as they fled. Within moments, it was over.

Alucard immediately approached him, whining softly, eyes not entirely there, carefully peeling back the tattered remains of his master's shirt and inspecting the injury. Anderson stroked him gently, allowing the vampire to clean the tracks of the wounds. They had already closed, but Alucard was clearly operating primarily on instinct at this point. The vampire wasn't even attempting to feed, and as soon as he noticed that the wounds were closed, he blinked, sense coming back into his eyes as he sighed and leaned against Anderson. Seras approached slower, worry fading from her eyes as she, too, looked to verify that Anderson was not injured.

Face buried against Anderson's shoulder, Alucard very faintly growled, "Don't you dare do that again."

Looking at the absolutely horrified troops, Anderson had to chuckle a bit. "You knew I would be alright. I'm a regenerator, you've done far worse to me yourself."

Alucard huffed, remaining pressed against Anderson. It was Seras who finally spoke. "Knowing it and really knowing it are two different things. You're human. You were injured. You're all we have. We know you will heal, but that doesn't change the fact that we will rip to shreds anything that dares to injure you."

Alucard's protectiveness of his former Master and fledgling was becoming a lot more clear to Anderson at this point.

Alucard sighed a bit, lifting his head to look Anderson in the eye. "The reaction won't always be as strong, we will get better at not...overreacting." He grinned, that same demented pointy grin that Anderson had seen for more than three decades. "I think the troops would appreciate that."

Looking over at the expressions on the faces of the operatives, Anderson had to agree. They had certainly had an introduction to what a vampire was capable of tonight.

Anderson sighed himself, hand on his face.

Bloody Hell.

This was definitely going to cut back on his fun for awhile. 


	6. Chapter 6 : Sacrifice

*Seras isn't evil, but considering how Alucard was created, she's still going to be, well, tainted. And when there is a priest in the house, there will be problems.*

Sacrifice.

This was going to be a sacrifice.

Alex had worn this, every day, for the better part of a century. It had been one of the first items he put on each morning, one of the last he removed each night. It helped define him, it was a central part of his life, and without it he felt bare, vulnerable.

The burn would heal, but right now Seras had a nasty blister and burn mark above her right eye. She really hadn't said anything, and she didn't blame him at all, but he felt very guilty.

He really should have thought of this.

Still, placing the silver crucifix and rosary in the dresser drawer hurt. 


	7. Chapter 7 : Tag

*I'll have to do a longer chapter about Seras releasing her ability to shift to a wolf. She's about, oh, 30 years dead, so she ought to have a few abilities by now even if she just got her freedom from Alucard. So, what WOULD they do when she could finally shift?*

Tag

It still amazed Anderson at how everyone in the household was able to ignore the vampires, and how the vampires were able to pretend that no one else existed. Oh, they'd interact when necessary, but generally there was a pretense that the other didn't exist. Alucard didn't give a damn about other humans, and while Seras would interact with them when prompted, she clearly prefered the company of Alucard and himself. The humans were simply frightened by the monsters and avoiding notice. Even the head of Hellsing stayed out of their way.

And then, there were those days when interactions were inevitable.

Seras was "practicing" in her new wolfen form. Alucard was "teaching" her. What that actually meant was two four-footed hairballs careening about the house, spinning around corners, sliding across the kitchen linoleum, and thundering down the stairs. And into staff.

With a sigh, Anderson helped the butler off the floor, shooting a disapproving glare at the patently embarrassed wolf watching them from the end of the hallway. The calm lasted about two seconds.

Then Alucard bit her tail, and they were off again. 


	8. Chapter 23 : Pacifier

*I figured that, dealing with traumatized orphans and children placed in the care of the government Alexander might have a slightly better grasp of what to do when a victim of sexual abuse approached him for comfort. I rather thought that the vampire's "human pacifier" was an interesting concept...and I can quite easily see a vampire doing that, too! Thanks again for everyone that's taken a moment to click the "Review" button and give me a little feedback or just a quick "thanks." Please take a minute to look at the other two stories if you haven't already. If you like one, chances are good you'll enjoy the other two!*

Pacifier

It was a sound sleep, thick with comfort and warmth, and it ended when a chilled body joined Alexander. It took a few moments for him to wake, and a glance at the blurry clock showed it to be almost noon.

Both vampires should be sound asleep in their coffins.

However, there was no denying the mass of black hair burrowing into his shoulder, or the death grip that the cold white hands had on his pajama top. Alucard was in his bed, curled as close to him as the vampire could manage. It didn't take a genius to realize that something had the vampire truly and deeply upset; he was rigid with tension, and shaking, small tremors racing through his body. Just as worrisome was the panting; small, quiet rasps of breath, in a creature that had not needed to breathe for the better part of a millenium.

Concerned for Alucard, Alexander pulled himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard, and tugged the vampire up next to him. Or at least he attempted to; as soon as he gripped the arm and pulled, the vampire let out a brief, keening whimper. Alexander settled for simply stroking the black hair, gently, and before long the vampire had pulled himself up next to his master. His grip had not lessened, but Alex was able to lift him slightly and look at his face.

The vampire's eyes were clenched tightly shut, and bloody tears leaked from them.

"Bad dreams, eh?" Alex's voice was pitched to soothe, soft and gentle, wrapping the vampire in support. There was no response, but after several seconds, the vampire finally gave a slight nod. Alex continued to stroke his back, cradling the deeply upset vampire in his arms, and simply holding him gently.

He had known, before he even accepted the bond, that the vampire had...issues...with contact by men. The book that described the vampire and the bonding ritual had been very frank on what was believed to lie in the vampire's past; this was not the first time Alucard had come, seeking comfort when his past surfaced unexpectedly and painfully. It was only the first time this had occurred and he had sought Alexander for that comfort.

While the vampire might want comfort, Alexander suspected that being on the bed with him was not a good idea in and of itself. He voiced his concern quietly to the vampire, not asking if the bed was threatening, trying hard not to imply anything. "Would you rather we sit in the chair?" The vampire's vehement nodding was quickly followed by Alex swinging his feet off the bed, rising with the vampire cradled carefully in his arms, and moving to the chair. He'd managed to grab a few blankets along with the vampire, and while it was difficult not to trip over them, he made it safely to the recliner.

It was a matter of moments before Alex was comfortably arranged in the chair, feet up on the footrest, throw pillow tucked behind his head. Alucard was curled in his lap, blankets tossed over them both, but not yet arranged, himself. He shifted slightly, and Alex was a little shocked to find the vampire's mouth pressing against his throat. There was no threat, no touch of teeth, just the cold lips and a slight suction.

After a few moments, Alex realized that he was a human pacifier, and the vampire was slowly falling back asleep. He spent a few moments running gentle fingers through the vampire's hair, idly ruffling it, another hand rubbing gentle circles between the shoulder blades. The vampire's sucking eased, and with a long shuddering sigh, he fell asleep.

Cold drool ran down Alex's neck, but he wouldn't have moved for the world. Instead, he simply held his poor, broken vampire, resting quietly, until he, too, was relaxed enough to sleep. 


	9. Chapter 8 : Recreation

*Thanks again for the reviews and prompts. Not too happy with the ending to this one, but I wanted to get it up so I'm not going to sit and chew on it any more. Enjoy!*

Recreation

Alucard really hadn't gotten out much for decades, and Seras wasn't much better.

However, Anderson was used to long walks and sightseeing tours, visiting museums and libraries and old cathedrals when he had the opportunity. He wasn't a homebody. Integra had been too busy to have a social life, really, and her vampires had been curtailed as a result. It hadn't been deliberate, more of an accidental side-effect that no one really noticed. Past masters had agreed that Alucard could not be let out unsupervised, and Integra had clearly thought the same. Anderson wasn't sure yet. Alucard seemed so mild when they weren't hunting vampires and ghouls and other beasties. If Alex hadn't had the journals and their warnings, he might have sent the vampires out to the cinema just to get them out of the house for a bit.

But the journals and notes all agreed this would have been a very, very bad idea. Alex thought that Seras had civilized Alucard quite a bit, and with her along, he just might behave. Then again, it was an enormous risk to take with other people's lives and property. So no, he was not going to send them out unsupervised.

Integra had gotten them televisions, but somehow the TVs never got connected, and the more modern displays simply collected dust in their boxes. There had been a few nights when the vampires joined her to watch a holiday show or special, but those had been so few and far between over the years that Alex didn't think they really counted as exposure to the wide world. And they were holiday specials, at that. Not exactly normal views of the world...

So here they were, in line at the cinemas, ready to watch the latest holo. It had guns, lasers, monster robots, and plenty of gore. Alucard was trying so hard not to stare about at the vastly changed world. When Integra had begun to fail so badly in the last decade, he had almost completely stayed sealed in the mansion. Seras was normally sent out on missions, and when Alucard went he'd raced out and back, not taking time to observe much. One of the latest fad toys, the IFly zipping about under the control of one of the other cinema patrons, was clearly annoying him and it was with a sense of relief that Anderson got him inside the cinema before he blew the little metallic annoyance to bits.

He'd told the monster to leave his guns at home. It was only after they arrived at the cinema that he realized he hadn't mentioned leaving anyone else's guns at home. Therefore, it was a given that there was a substantial amount of armament hidden about the vampire. At least his clothes were "normal" as he'd scanned over a few of the soldiers as they went on leave and mimicked their appearance.

Seras was chattering constantly about the fashions she saw and the displays for other holos. She was practically bouncing, despite the fact that she was old enough to be a grandmother and then some. Alex had to remind her a few times to conceal her teeth better, she was reacting to the crowd about them with nervous energy, and that was resulting in the occasional flash of fangs.

Popcorn in one hand, drink in the other, he chivvied his charges into the back of the auditorium. With much of the show taking place in the air above them, the back seats were the "prime" location. However, that wasn't the point; he deliberately picked the most secluded seats possible despite the pout from Seras.

The vampires loved every minute of it. And as they were leaving, Seras noticed a display for another show they just HAD to go see. Anderson really had no reason to say no; for them, it was essentially late morning and there was an entire night ahead. Plus, he was thoroughly enjoying taking them out.

He'd forgotten how fixated vampires could get.

After the fourth show, he wasn't enjoying it so much, and drug the monsters back home. Still, watching them chortle about scenes and the humans they had observed around them, he couldn't regret a minute of the night. The ride back was filled with their constant gossip, and he'd been so accustomed to their silence instead! Granted, they were talking about the humans much like two kids talking about preferred candies, but still, they had clearly enjoyed their evening out.

Musing on those thoughts, he almost agreed when Seras asked to go to the zoo during the course of the rambling conversation. Starting to nod, he caught the bright gleam in Alucard's eyes and stopped.

He could picture the stampede. It was very easy to picture, and mostly involved shrieks of fear, panicking animals, and a few elephant trunks waving above a frantic crowd.

No. Just no.

But he would certainly be taking them to another show! 


	10. Chapter 9 : Family

*Just another awwwwww story. Happy people being happy. :) *

Alucard was...content.

He hadn't realized how much he had longed for a family, one with trust and consideration and, perhaps, love. He'd been content with his fledglings, content to let them leave and spread their wings.

And leave him with an empty home. He would indeed find another fledgling, but their transcience frustrated him. Now, he had something more, something more permanent. First the Hellsings, and their long bloodline. Over a century of companionship. Children, wives, nieces and nephews, and over the years he had slowly acted less and less the monster with them. Abraham hadn't treated him as a mere beast, but with respect and growing affection, and he had responded to it as a withered plant to water.

Not all Hellsings had behaved in such a way to him. Some were too frightened, though they controlled it. And he always taunted them, always tested them. Even Integra had been tested, every few years thrown into rage or fear, her vampire flexing the bonds to hear them crack. A few, like Arthur, heard the cracking and panicked, although only Arthur had hidden him away. The others had passed his control onto a different Hellsing, but Arthur had no one suitable to choose from.

Over a century of continued contact and companionship. And then the Hellsings had died out. When he'd been called into Integra's room to be told that she was dying, and seen the paladin waiting, the plant had withered again.

And now, he had family once more. A child of his own, and a master, and neither one ready to leave him. Even should Seras decide to leave on her own, he had no doubt that she'd be visiting him. And Anderson wasn't going anywhere.

Alucard debated testing this one, too, but no. Anderson had already been tested, a hundred, a thousand times. Any more would only be cruelty. The man would never falter and crack, and if he did, Alucard would not be able to bear it.

This was too precious to risk.

xxxxxxx

"Vampire, ye're awfully quiet tonight." Anderson's voice was light, teasing, his hand on Alucard's head gentle and, well, friendly. Alucard rolled his head back, eyes meeting Anderson's briefly, calm and mild. The vampire simply rubbed his cheek on Anderson's knee, then resumed watching the fire from his seat on the floor. Seras stretched next to him on the floor, head cushioned in Alucard's lap, blinking in her drowsy and contented way at the dancing flames.

Anderson smiled softly at them, then returning to the reading. At times, it seemed as though the vampire at his feet could not possibly be the same creature that the journals referenced. Constantly inconstant. His mind flicked back through scenes in time, showing him the vampire laughing in the subway, ripping apart ghouls and monsters with an inhuman glee as great or greater than any Anderson had experienced. The terror of the soldiers as the vampires returned from a kill, bloody and grinning, was also not false. He'd seen Integra shouting at the monster, angry at its sneer and smirk and testing of boundaries, even while Anderson had stood there with bayonets, ready to destroy them both.

But Alucard was not that way with him. Anderson had yet to see that vicious, violent side directed at himself, had yet to detect any of that subtle manipulation and self-centered, evil plotting. The vampire treated him as though he were spun glass, terrified that he would be left alone, Anderson leaving him and returning to Italy.

With a soft smile, Anderson ruffled Alucard's hair again, taking a moment to press the vampire's cheek against his leg, giving him a sort of mild "hug" with his hand and leg. The vampire purred a bit, utterly relaxed. Anderson relaxed, too. It was so...nice. The children he'd raised in the orphanage had grown into adults, leaving him, starting their own families. His cohorts had aged, some dying in battles, others dying of illness, and the newer ones saw him only as Angel Dust Anderson, a vicious monster himself. The long record of vampiric kills, the blood that soaked into his cassocks, the pure delight in a good fight, had shown them that he was a monster. And thus he was alone.

And now, here he was. On a comfortable couch, journal in hand, no battle, no opponent in sight. He should be bored, restless, ready to go out and tear something to bits, to distract himself from an unhappy and lonely life.

Instead, he was...content.

Peace. Quiet. Serenity. Acceptance. Support. Family. And, perhaps, no, definitely, the beginnings of love, a soul-deep knowledge that each of them was where they belonged. An unquestioning, simple love that said plainly and clearly, "This is home."

No, Anderson wasn't going anywhere. The three monsters had found each other, and there just wasn't much monster remaining. There was a balance, each of them filling a hole in the other, fulfilling the need that had kept them violent and searching. Without that need, there was calm.

And a peaceful night spent in front of flickering flames, simply savoring the closeness. 


	11. Chapter 10 : Pack

Pack

It was when watching the two vampires play as a pair of wolves that Anderson realized what he was seeing with their family. Three predators; it only made sense. Considered from the viewpoint of a wolf, their responses and personalities crystallized.

He was the alpha wolf, the one that the others relied on to make decisions, protect, and lead them. When binding Alucard, he'd been challenged for that position, having to resist and overcome the vampire's attack as well as convince him prior to binding that he could be a worthy leader.

Alucard was the beta wolf. With previous masters, he'd always pushed for the role of alpha, testing and making certain that his master was strong enough to lead him. It seemed he was confident enough in Anderson's strength and capability that he'd given up any serious testing. Instead, he simply relaxed, following commands and cooperating with a minimum of growling and flashing of teeth.

Seras was the perpetual beta, totally uninterested in leading. She was happy with her two superiors, as confident in Alucard as he was in Anderson. She demanded that they acknowledge and respect her, certainly, but she never challenged for leadership or authority. Seras fulfilled her duties with the troops and on hunts in a spectacular fashion, but her "biddability" was due to her comfort in her role as the member of the pack with the least authority. Still valued, still needed, but clearly a follower.

No wonder things were so peaceful with the vampires. Alucard wasn't wondering if his chosen alpha was going to falter, was no longer on the lookout for a chance to advance his own position. Without the constant maneuvering and continuous manipulations for power, he was able to settle back into a much happier, less stressful pack position and had frankly mellowed out incredibly. Thus the long naps with Anderson, the contented and comfortable companionship, and the current pair of hairballs tearing up the yard.

Grinning to himself at the description of the three of them as a pack of wolves, Anderson went out to join the vampires as they wrestled and played. By the door was a long, knotted rope specifically for such occasions, already turning tattered and frayed.

Within a few moments, man and wolves were hauling each other all over the yard, tripping and playfully snapping, growling, and, in the human's case, hurling colorful insults at each other in their tug-of-war. 


	12. Chapter 11 : Grief

*sad and sappy, but it was an image that crawled in my head during a longer chapter. Longer chapter will be up in a day or two.*

Grief

Alucard was missing. Seras said he wasn't in his coffin or in his rooms, he wasn't in the office with the Head of Hellsing. He wasn't in Alexander's rooms, he wasn't in the kitchen getting a snack. After a few months with the household, Alexander had a good understanding of Alucard's habits, and this was a definite departure of the norm. Alucard was simply...missing.

A missing vampire made the rest of the household nervous, and Alex's quiet summons hadn't brought the vampire like it usually did. Alex could force Alucard to come, but simply requesting his presence usually brought the red-coated monster to him immediately. Forcing him to come without a very good reason smacked of an abuse of the power the vampire had given him, and Anderson would not do that.

Instead, Alex was looking for him.

He found the monster, curled up in Integra's bedroom in the center of her bed, one of her cigars and her green jacket held tight to his face, eyes clenched tightly shut. Alex sat quietly beside the grieving monster in the dark room.

Dawn found them still together, the vampire curled into Alex's lap, head under his chin. The jacket and cigar, both fragrant with the scents of Integra, were held more loosely but still close to Alucard's face.

Vampiric grief was truly heartbreaking to see. Alex vowed it would be a very, very long time before Alucard needed to grieve for him. 


	13. Chapter 12 : Cheater

*The story needed an update... I've spent most of this evening bringing along the Awaken story instead!*

Cheater

Playing tag with Seras was a little more fair. She'd slow down her speed to something closer to human, and sometimes let him catch her. When the vampires were restless, if he didn't find a way to occupy them, they'd start (well, Alucard would) to stalk the residents and begin to cause no end of low-level headaches. The Head of Hellsing was a favorite target. So, he'd get them involved in a game of tag or similar physical activity if he didn't take them out of the house entirely. Even after he wore out, they'd continue to entertain each other, eventually arriving in his room a few hours later for a more sedate few hours until the sun rose and they sought their coffins and he wandered off to bed.

Tonight, it was rainy and wet out, with a nasty cold wind blowing. He didn't feel like taking them anywhere, although Alucard had demonstrated an unsurprising ability but surprising love of dancing (and Anderson and Seras were now enrolled in ballroom dance classes). So, they were entertaining themselves in the house.

A glimpse of blonde hair was Seras darting down the hall and around the corner. With a grin, he raced after her. Yes, playing with Seras was much more fair than playing with Alucard.

He had her cornered, giggling and eyes glowing, at the end of the hallway and raised his hand to tag her-

Only to be suddenly hauled sideways through the wall.

He caught a glimpse of a pointy grin as Alucard vanished back through the very solid wall to join Seras.

Cheating bastard. 


	14. Chapter 13 : Snow Daze

*A day of no updates, and snow everywhere here... So I went with a snow story. Enjoy!*

Snow Daze

Sera's men had been in the middle of a snowball fight when she arrived to train them. There was only an inch or two of snow on the ground, but apparently, it was enough to make a few very good snowballs.

Vampire or not, her sudden appearance in the middle of the men's private snow war had been too tempting a target, and she'd gotten a face full of powder. Sudden silence fell as the men waited in dread for her reaction. She simply stood, motionless...

And a half-dozen highly accurate snowballs slammed into the men, originating behind one of the holly bushes. As they yelped and turned to find their new foe, Seras made it behind a tree and added her own snowballs to the fray. The snow war escalated.

"Maaaaaster..." The gleeful, quiet voice spoke teasingly in his head. "Oh Maaaaaaaaaster..."

Alex paused, spoonful of oatmeal halfway to his mouth. "Alucard?"

"You really ought to see what's in the training yard." The vampire's grin was clearly sensed. "I'd suggest you hurry."

A moment's pause. Seras planned on working with the troops tonight...and Alucard was now involved... and he had a distinctly ambivalent attitude about the soldiers' lives... The half-finished oatmeal was forgotten as Alex vanished in a flurry of papers.

His arrival in the center of the courtyard was met with a snowball to the center of his face and another to his chest. He could hear Alucard's gleeful crowing of "Always aim for the head or chest!" Seras, damn her, found it just as entertaining and he could hear her giggling off to his left.

Alex stooped, grabbed two handfuls of snow, launched them towards the vampires, and dashed over to a snow-fort for safety.

The men were delighted to have him on their team. It meant the odds were almost even as long as the vampires didn't use their abilities, just their strong arms and consistently accurate aim. It was night, the sun had fallen, and frostbite was nibbling at noses before he finally called an end to the war.

He'd put a dollop of fresh hot blood in two mugs before the men arrived to see what he'd done, then filled them up the rest of the way with a blood packet. The butler had been pressed into heating up milk, and a variety of mugs dug up and prepared. Preparations were well under way before the men clattered into the kitchen, vampires following more sedately through the wall.

The chilled men, Anderson included, were soon crammed into the warm kitchen, drinking frothy hot chocolate and seated on every available flat surface. They and the vampires were being amazingly tolerant of each other; both vampires were seated beside Anderson, blissfully drinking from their own mugs.

Aside from a brief shudder when Seras licked a spilled bit of blood from the side of her mouth, they were unfazed by the proximity of the vampires, and Alucard was equally unpredatory despite the hot bodies and racing blood so close to him.

Ruffling his vampires' hair fondly, Anderson nodded approvingly at what he saw as clearly improving relations between the two sets. The hour of playful interaction had done wonders in taking the vampires (specifically Alucard) off the "Predatory, untrustworthy, wish we could stake that bastard" list and the humans off the "If only..." list. Maybe a few such interactions needed to occur in the future?

He briefly eyed the cold, congealed oatmeal and smiled slightly. It had definitely been worth missing the rest of his meal.  



	15. Chapter 22 : Orphans

*I was reminded that I didn't do the visit back by Alex and his vampires to his Italian orphanage. It showed up this morning. Thanks again for the reviews!*

Orphans

The plane taxied to a stop and Alex and the vampires prepared to disembark. He'd accepted Wolfe's invitation, and brought the vampires to Italy. The orphanage children had been clamoring to see him and a few of the Iscariot members had extended a welcome. The children's motiviation was easy to see, but he rather thought the Iscariots planned to lure the vampires over and then kill them.

A little grin flashed across his face. If he had had ANY idea of just what Alucard was able to do, he'd never, ever, EVER have considered tossing a blade at the beast. Seras was somewhat more vulnerable, but still a misleadingly powerful monster herself. Alucard said that some of it was his blood, some of it her own personality and will, and some of it her regular diet of insane vampires and predatory monsters. No, he just couldn't worry too much about the safety of his vampires, and any Iscariot that invited them in as guests and then attacked them...well, that Iscariot deserved the humiliation the monsters would hand out.

He'd timed the flight to land just after sunset, and while the light was still grey with twilight, the vampires were awake and active. He'd packed a single "traveling" coffin, big enough for both, and with a hefty filling of both English and Romanian soil. That and his small suitcase were the only "luggage" they had, although the coffin drew a brief surprised look from the landing crew on the tarmac as it was unloaded.

To his great surprise, Wolfe waited on the tarmac as well, and only Wolfe. He'd really expected a great many more people, not a single aged Iscariot. She gave him a hug, another surprise from the normally undemonstrative woman, and then a cordial nod at both vampires. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she explained. "I told them you'd be in well past midnight because the vampires couldn't travel during the day. They think I'm off picking up a few last minute supplies. There'll be quite the delegation here, missing sleep, and up late at night, but by then you'll be settled in at the orphanage."

A small smile accompanied her next words. "Also, only the youngest of the children will be asleep, you'll have a reunion in peace." She gestured towards the small delivery-style truck waiting nearby. "Let's load up your belongings, and then we can go to the orphanage. I've gotten your old room ready."

The trip to the orphanage was surprisingly fast, traffic light, and Wolfe caught Alex up on the vagaries of the different children. There were some new arrivals, a few of the children had found permanent families, etc. etc. She was a little worried about how they'd react to the vampires. At a glance, the monsters, especially Seras, seemed human, but a flash of fang or some glowing red eyes could frighten a child. She turned to ask the vampires, waiting in the back seat, to ask them for their assistance. They'd been so quiet, watching out the windows, the occasional murmur of conversation, but when she turned there were no vampires sitting back there, but a pair of wolves. One was a lovely black, with deeper black outlining a mask on his face, much as the spots of a black leopard appeared as watered silk. The other was the opposite, a pale silver that was nearly white, with a lovely grey mask that made her seem to smile all the time.

"Aye, I can see the children being afraid of a vampire. So it's a good thing I brought dogs instead, eh?" Anderson's eye twinkled as he watched her out of the corner, and she couldn't resist laughing. Yes, a pair of rather wolfish dogs would be welcomed by almost all the orphans, many of whom missed their pets as well as their lost families. "We'll have to get the coffin in later; it can wait until the kids are asleep."

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The arrival at the orphanage was all Alex could have asked for. Wolfe vanished, taking his bag off to his room, and the children ran to him, screaming in delight. The vampires, eyes huge, backed away from the shrieking tsunami of joyful children, but within a few minutes Alex was calling them up and introducing them to the children. Wolfe returned in time to see the two totally wide-eyed and frozen vampires being inundated by younglings, and while she was initially terrified for the safety of her charges, Alex's laughter and calm reassured her.

The next hour was spent with the kids showing off their new garden, telling Alex what they had learned, and asking a million questions about England and his new home. The entire time, at least one toddler had a fistful of wolf fur, and used it to stay upright. A few of the younger kids, in inevitable child fashion, had attempted to ride the wolves. While both wolves had initially given Alex pleading eyes, begging for a rescue, he'd ignored it, and now they were relaxing. Seras had thawed some, slowing her pace to that of the youngest child clinging on her, tail and ears slowly rising and waving happily.

Alucard had thawed much faster. It had been a very, very long time since there had been a child in the mansion, and these were, in effect, Alex's children. His instinct was to adopt them himself, and the instinct to play with them was even stronger in wolf form. It had been a matter of minutes before he was fetching balls for the kids' amusement, allowing them to wrestle with him and clamber on him and shriek with joy. It was amazing and amusing to watch the vampire play and bounce with the children, and the only thing funnier was the expression on Wolfe's face when she saw what was occurring.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Iscariot had been somewhat more clever than expected. When Wolfe did not return from her errand, their suspicions caused them to contact the airport and learn that a plane from England with three passengers had landed. Agents were quickly sent, and they learned that the passengers were two men and a woman, fitting the descriptions they had been given, and that the luggage did indeed contain a coffin. It was less than an hour after the arrival at the orphanage, and a trio of Iscariot vehicles raced to the front of the orphanage, slamming to a halt as over a dozen armed clerics piled out of them. They raced into the orphanage, clearly expecting slaughter and death, ready to do battle with the vampires they had tricked into visiting, to find no vampires, anywhere.

The children they were supposed to protect fled shrieking from their weapons. Wolfe and Anderson were sitting at a kitchen table, kids in their laps and at their feet, enjoying mugs of cocoa. One dog rolled on its back with a handful of youngsters playing with it, two of them busily arguing over how to brush its hair, and one little girl busy putting nail polish on it. A second dog, a big black one, was playing tug-of-war with a handful of laughing kids, growling and shaking its head while a plumed tail waved merrily over its back.

The peaceful domestic scenario turned into screams of fear as the weapon-bearing Iscariots burst into the room. The children raced to hide behind the adults, screaming in terror, the two dogs sprouting fangs and bristling, crouched in front of the children and clearly about to bite. Alex was reaching for a bayonet, fear for the children clear on his face, and Wolfe...

Wolfe launched herself at them, weaponless, berating them in furious, absolutely furious Italian for their stupidity. They had frightened the children, what fool carried loaded weapons into an ORPHANAGE? Thank the good Lord no one was injured! Did they have donkeys for fathers and pigs for mothers to create children that were so stupid? Her tirade picked up steam and she literally shouted them out of her kitchen and down to the cars.

Thoroughly chastised and intimidated, it was several minutes before any of them were able to take advantage of the slowing of her rant to attempt to explain.

"We were told the children were in danger, there were vampires, it was an emergency..." His explanation died under her glare. "Does it LOOK like an emergency? Father Alexander has returned to visit with his orphans, a happy reunion, full of joy, and YOU come in with guns and swords? What sort of fools mistake children at play for a slaughter and mugs of cocoa for guns? Oh, I know, the sort of fools that rush into a room of little children with LOADED GUNS!" She was off and running again, and while Alex and the vampires had their hands full calming the children, a small corner of his mind followed her voice and he had to fight an awed grin of his face.

The vampires simply looked awed. They, especially Alucard, had experienced Integra's famous storms and apparently this ranked right up there with the best of Sir Hellsing's, a veritable Typhoon Wolfe. Both vampires were busy licking children's faces, pressing up against them, and providing a very solid and gentle body for the sobbing children to lean against. They were completely uncaring of the soggy and snotty mess the youngest were making of their coats, entirely focused on soothing Alex's children.

It wasn't long before Wolfe returned, hauling a single, abashed officer into the kitchen by his forearm. The man stumbled out a clear apology, apologizing to the children for frightening them, then to Alex for the disruption of his reunion and home. Wolfe then allowed the man to check through the orphanage for the vampires, frowining and following at his steps. The coffin was still in the panel van, after all, and there was simply nothing to find.

It wasn't long before a terribly abashed set of Iscariots were returning to the Vatican, figurative tails thoroughly tucked and radiating embarassment and shame. The children hauled the "dogs" off to sleep with them, Seras finding herself in the girls dormitory for a late-night girlish gossip session, and Alucard managing to instigate a pillow fight with the boys while limited to four legs and a tail.

Wolfe drank the last of her cocoa, grinning at Alex. "Rather handy, them hearing the Iscariots coming, wasn't it?" Alex grinned back.

They'd been fortunate that the cocoa had been ready. Both of them had simply grabbed a few children and a seat at the table, moments before the soldiers had burst in. The vampires hadn't done a thing after warning Alex except continue with what they'd already been engaged in.

That peaceful domestic scene had been established only a few seconds before Section 13 burst into the room, deliberately staged with a seated Wolfe and Alex to remove any possible targets and immediate threats, and throw the invaders off balance. The "dogs" had clearly been involved in playing with kids and were "obviously" not vampiric wolves, and Wolfe knew from experience that the Iscariot had encountered so few vampires able to change form that many of the members doubted it could be done at all.

It would likely be morning before anyone at Iscariot got the balls to find out what had happened and visit themselves. And they'd damn well better ring the bell and ask politely to enter, as well. She'd invited a bare handful of Iscariot members, ones that thought well of Alexander and would like to see him again, to come by for an early breakfast. Afterwards, Alex was returning to England with his pets...hopefully avoiding any additional interaction with anyone else from Iscariot!

Assuming they could drag the vampires away from the kids. Seras was clearly admiring the nail polish now adorning her front paws, and the kids were busy painting the back paws as well. A sequined bow dangled between her ears and some child had been busy putting stickers on her fur as well. A boy of no more than four sat in front of her, showing her his pictures and proudly declaring that "This was my horse," and labeling each and every one of his abstract scribbles. Alucard was wrestling away with a few of the boys and a couple of the more active girls, rope firmly clenched in his jaws and being drug about on his belly by two of the biggest children.

Wolfe had to see it to believe it. And thanks to the recorder that the three of them had permitted, she couldn't wait to see the faces of the other Iscariots when she showed them the recording.

After all, it all seemed like nothing more than a retired and visiting Priest and his pets. Right up until the children went to bed and the pets stood up, walked on two feet over the Alex, and curled up with him on the couch.

Oh, yes, she couldn't WAIT to show the Iscariots this particular video! 


	16. Chapter 28 : Iscariot 2

*Post-orphanage. I wanted to get another Succession chapter up!*

Iscariot 2

Iscariot was very, very unhappy when they learned that the vampires had been present in the orphanage, after all. The three guests that had met Alexander for breakfast had reported that the vampires had been present for part of that time, but clearly sleepy, and vanished immediately after introductions.

The vampires had not been threatening, unless you counted the yawns and the inadvertent display of fangs as a threat. They'd simply made a few moments of polite talk, then walked out of the room to go...somewhere. Nevertheless, they had been present, and Iscariot's leaders were absolutely furious that they had been tricked.

It was the middle of the afternoon when the Iscariot representatives arrived at Hellsing Estate. They had expected to wake Alexander, berating him while the vampires were asleep and helpless. While they held out faint hopes that they might find and destroy the vampires, they'd settle for verbally flaying Alexander. However, Alex wasn't asleep in bed, or even newly awakened. Instead, he was out in the bright sun, athletic, active, clearly wide-awake and in good spirits, and, of all things, playing fetch with a pair of dogs.

They looked to be Malinois or German Shepherd mixes, one white, one black. And they were slobbering and drooling all over the frisbees and Anderson, leaving him with huge muddy pawprints on his shirt and even mud flecked on his glasses. It was a terribly informal activity, one that they each felt to be beneath Anderson, to the very marrow of their snobbish bones.

That didn't stop him from tossing the frisbee a final time as they approached him, then smiling in an inexcusably friendly and social manner.

The man leading the group stopped in front of Anderson, trying to intimidate him with a cold and steely glare. It was all Anderson could do not to laugh; his apparent age was in his thirties, but it had been decades since he could be intimidated by a mere look. If Alucard on a bad day couldn't make him flinch, no human could. Aware that his look was having absolutely no effect, the leader began his reprimand, in an absolutely scathing tone.

"Am I to understand that you deliberately took a VAMPIRE into an orphanage?"

A slight grin fought around Alex's mouth, as the two dogs came over to flop at his feet. The smaller one was happily chewing the frisbee, the other one had hauled over a veritable log and was merrily reducing it to splinters.

"Nay. I took both vampires."

Totally unrepentant, his casual approach served only to infuriate the other man, who launched into a torrent of verbal abuse.

Anderson waited until he stopped, then with a nod, began to point out the obvious.

"Ye forget. I am nah a member of Iscariot now. I am with Hellsing. And you are here, without invitation, on Hellsing ground. And I wouldn't call this a friendly visit." His warm green eyes turned piercing and cold.

"The orphanage is under the charge of Sister Heinkel. It is not under the care of Iscariot at all, and is of no concern to Iscariot. Had the vampires actually harmed a child, then it would be of concern." His disdainful gaze fell on each of them. "As no child was harmed, and the only threat to the children came FROM ISCARIOT ITSELF, then I wish to hear no more of your prattle. ISCARIOT brought dangerous weapons and armed fighters into an orphanage of children. I brought two vampires, which played with the children and then soothed them after ISCARIOT terrified them."

Shifting his massive weight, Alex took a step closer, fairly LOOMING over the men. "Now, as Iscariot has not only endangered the orphans, but then traveled to England to trespass on Hellsing property, and then attempt to berate a Hellsing employee, I think it might be a very good time for you. to. leave." His grin held much in common with Alucard's, only lacking a few pointy fangs.

Another menacing step forward, and the Iscariot took a step backward. "Now, be glad I do not require you to apologize to the vampires, for making such a baseless assumption about them, one that is far more accurately a description of Iscariot."

Moral high ground lost. The intimidation factor of a group of angry Iscariots outdone by the intimidation factor of a single massive priest. The reminder that they had, indeed, placed the children in danger. The clear fact that while they had intended to chastise Alexander, he was no longer theirs to chastise...

And yet, the Iscariot leader was a fool. "Apologize to a vampire? They're doubtless asleep, so stop with your foolish threats."

A laugh broke out behind Alexander, and their eyes saw the red-clad Hellsing monster, lounged out comfortably on the green grass, bright sun streaming over him. Even in the sunlight, his position screamed danger. It was not hard to picture a great lion lying there, eyeing them, deciding if it was worth the effort to get up and eat them. The...dog...was gone.

The white dog rose, walking to stand by Anderson. When by the giant of a man, it wasn't obvious just how outsized the beast was. Standing only a few feet from them, the immense size was obvious. So were the brilliant red eyes.

The members of Iscariot were far too proud to run to the gate. However, they were walking very, very fast. 


	17. Chapter 14 : Bookworm 2

*No, I don't own a Nook or any other similar device, but I had to think about what Alucard would do with modern devices. This is set a ways into the future, so we'll likely be laughing at the prediction in a few years. Enjoy!*

Bookworm 2

"What is that?" Startled, the soldier yelped and jumped, nearly dropping the object he was holding. He was seated in a small stone nook, enjoying the late-afternoon sunlight and warmth, and had not expected a head to project out of the wall behind him and begin a conversation. The vampires were unnerving enough when they were expected at night, but unexpected during the day put an especially creepy caveat on their appearance. Especially Alucard's.

The vampire waited patiently, moving out of the wall to stand beside the man, head tilted slightly as he looked curiously at the soldier. "Um...a book. It's electronic."

The vampire held out his hand, clearly expecting the book to be placed in it. Not being a fool, the soldier obliged, carefully and respectfully showing the vampire how to scroll down a page and navigate the text. The vampire seemed curious and very unthreatening, and the soldier slowly relaxed. Shortly afterwards, they were both leaning over the reader, and he was demonstrating how to use the built-in dictionary, translator, and text-to-speech programs. It was when he returned to the main menu and the vampire saw dozens of titles visible that the vampire went from being curious to avaricious. He didn't take the reader from the soldier, but he did ask a number of detailed questions about what it was called, how they were obtained, how the books were loaded onto the device, and more. Eventually, the vampire wandered off, leaving a puzzled and relieved soldier behind him.

Anderson was just waking up, and found the vampire waiting at the foot of his bed. Alucard seemed agitated, and Anderson's sleep-foggy mind took several minutes to realize what the creature wanted. Apparently, the vampire had read every book in the house decades ago. The few magazines that the household were subscribed to were simply not going to hold his attention more than a few minutes, and he longed for more reading material. Abraham had often purchased books for him, but Integra had opted for televisions instead, and the vampire had never used them.

And he had apparently, somehow, discovered electronic readers, and wanted one. Now.

An hour later found them at the electronics store, a sturdy reader and a spare waiting on the counter, and an enormous collection of books on a memory chip waiting to be loaded.

The vampire was absolutely furious when he discovered that the device had to charge before it could be used. 


	18. Chapter 15 : Composition

*A very interesting Wikipedia article on vampire bats triggered this. It didn't turn out quite like I wanted, but I got the thought bunny down on the screen, which is a good thing in and of itself!*

Composition

There were shrieks coming from the training area, never a good sign, and Anderson hurried to see what was happening. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or scold the vampires when he arrived. They were both in bat form, and while the one bat was flapping slowly through the air several feet up, the other one was harassing the soldiers by dive-bombing them. A small pile of hats indicated that Alucard was entertaining himself by yanking them off heads, then piling them up nearby. The men were clearly aware that the bat was one of the vampires, but that wasn't helping much. They weren't going to flee inside from a bat, but there was no way that they were going to be able to concentrate on their training, either.

Watching them flinch away and flail their arms about their heads whenever Alucard approached was extremely funny, he really couldn't blame Alucard for this, even when the final hat was flopping slowly through the air to the vampire's pile of prizes. The men saw him coming with looks of incredible relief, and both bats angled towards him, squeaking happily. Alucard switched to human form and landed gracefully in front of him with a pointy ear-to-ear grin. Seras was having far more trouble. She changed to human while still mid-flap, and nearly belly-flopped onto the ground. Alucard spun gracefully, catching her a few feet off the ground, then nobley helped her stand. Seras's eyes sparkled, and she began to bubble happily to Alex about her new ability.

Alucard's thoughtfulness to Seras wasn't going to get him off that easily, though. "Alucard..." Alex said warningly. The vampire just grinned more.

"I wasn't really frightening them, no one was running away...and no one got hurt..." and with that, the vampire had technically stayed within the rules. He hadn't actually touched the soldiers, either. Alex simply had to sigh; the vampire might be ancient, but he could be a complete buffoon sometimes and was more devious than any spoiled child. Behind him, the men were separating, some wandering over to pick up their stolen hats, others proceeding to the firing area to practice their shooting.

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An hour later, both vampires were inside, and Alex was listening in as Alucard instructed his offspring on the proper techniques to flying. It was actually rather fascinating, and far more involved than Alex would have thought. It also inspired a few questions in him, and when the lesson was done and Seras was flying about under the high ceiling, he took advantage of the opportunity to ask Alucard a few questions.

"How long did it take you to learn to fly?" was the first one.

The vampire smiled. "It was several years before I managed to change my form for the first time, and several months after that before I became proficient. My first time out, I ended up trapped in a tree for some time. I had to learn not to fly when it was windy, and how to land, to dodge, and more. I could fly immediately, but flying WELL takes practice."

"I've been wondering about this for a very long time. Can all vampires transform into the same shapes? You and Seras both have changed to a wolf and a bat, and I've seen your Hellhound, but I've never seen another vampire change to anything but a wolf and that only a half-dozen times at most." It had been odd, but Anderson had always believed that it was simply due to the vampires that he hunted being weaker. However, he really didn't know, and no one had ever gotten an answer about it from a vampire itself.

Alucard pondered for a few minutes, watching Seras narrowly dodge the chandelier, then fall away squeaking. He almost moved to catch her, but she managed to scoop air under her wings and resume a fairly level flight. Keeping a careful eye on his offspring, he replied to Anderson. "I was created using a wolf and a bat, and to the best of my knowledge all my offspring and descendants should be able to change between those two forms as well as a more human form. The offspring of any other vampires, I don't know. Wolf seems to be a common choice for another form, but I suppose it would depend on exactly how the other vampire created itself and what it incorporated." More silence as the red eyes followed his daughter. "I picked a flying nocturnal form, and could just as easily have chosen an owl. However, a bat is more easily concealed, and I was fascinated by their ability to fly in complete darkness inside caves and such. I did not understand the concept of "echolocation" then, but bats had their own appealing mythos and thus I selected that as part of my makeup." Alex knew some of the very basics of Alucard's beginnings, mostly from the book/manual he had read when accepting the role of Master. While it had mentioned that the vampire created himself from a spell and how he had powered that spell, it was very light on details. Alexander realized that he might be the very first human Alucard had ever shared this information with. He kept his questions light, not wanting to encourage his source of information to pull back and end this explanation.

"Why wolves?"

"Convenience. I knew about lions, but having a lion show up in the mountains would have notified anyone familiar with the occult that something or someone had taken up residence in the area. A wolf is a strong, powerful creature, with keen senses, able to travel great distances. More importantly, it can look surprisingly dog-like, and hide in plain site. Even if recognized as a wolf, well, at the time they were widespread throughout Europe. No one would have thought anything of it."

A new question came to Alex at that point as he dodged Seras during another of her shaky revolutions about the room. "Your bat form is a vampire bat. How in the world did you come up with a vampire bit in EUROPE? The Americas were just being discovered by Europeans."

The vampire got a little quieter at this, then spoke haltingly, as though he were ashamed of what he said. "Master...it is not simply a spell that created me. I truly did sell my soul, trading it to a creature of Hell in return for my abilities. I described what I wanted, and that creature obtained a vampire bat rather than one of the smaller local variety." He raised his head slightly, turning back to look at Alex. "I did require that the creatures be...willing. I did not know how strong their presences would be, and if I had to fight them and force them to act, then it could have been...difficult. Willing ones were found." At Alex's puzzled look, he elaborated. "Both vampire bats and wolves are social creatures. Two were brought to me that had lost their colony and their pack, and I took a few weeks to earn their trust and bond with them, at least somewhat. Animals do not...comprehend...like a human would. I doubt very much that they understood what was going to happen, but they did fear being alone, feared separation. It made them...easy...to absorb."

He returned to watching Seras, hands darting up to trap her as she flapped overhead, catching her as she squeaked angrily, then rubbing her head affectionately while holding her firmly against his chest. Seras stopped squirming and complaining after a few moments, instead stretching out against her Master and looking rather blissful at the attention.

"Their social nature has carried through in my descendants as well. Both creatures will adopt orphans, are protective of their families, and are pack or colony animals. I and my offspring are similar, and those and similar characteristics are reflected in our behavior."

"The animal selves have faded over the years, become a part of my personality rather than individuals, but I don't believe they ever regretted the agreement. They always seemed content." The vampire smiled a bit cruelly. "Humans can be evil, self-serving monsters, I never felt much guilt if any for what I did to them. But animals are more...innocent. It was costly to require two that were willing, and time-consuming to gain their trust, but so very worthwhile. Part of the reason that Seras is able to fly immediately upon gaining her form is that the bat that is part of me is also part of her, a willing part, and its instincts are part of her instincts and freely shared." He smiled fondly down at his daughter, rubbing her neck as she trilled with delight.

"Any more forms she gains after this will be individual to her. Should she consume a vampire with an alternative form, it is possible for her to take that form herself." With a grin, the vampire released Seras, giving her a helpful toss into the air, then melted into a pile of skittering black forms.

Alex watched as the rats, centipedes, and various other small and foul creatures vanished under the various pieces of furniture. While he'd learned a great deal tonight, he wanted to find out where those other forms had come from. From what his vampire had just said, most likely a vampire Alucard had consumed. Or several. However, the vampire was also prone to misdirecting and misleading, finding playing with the minds of humans to be a marvelously entertaining pasttime. Alucard was certainly very talented in the shape-shifting department, though, and finding out more about his vampires was always an entertaining and interesting proposition for Anderson.

Yes, he'd certainly find out the answer to that question soon. Angry and frustrated squeaks drew his attention across the room.

For now, though, he needed to help Seras untangle herself from the gauzy curtains. 


	19. Chapter 16 : Trap

*It's just a great mental image...*

Trap

Anderson felt a little guilty at manipulating the vampires like this, but dammit, the soldiers needed a chance to train in peace. Since relations between them and the vampires had improved so dramatically, Alucard and Seras clearly considered them fair game when the vampires were bored.

The vampires had gone from being frightening to a bloody nuisance as far as the troops were concerned.

Alex felt inside the blankets. Yes, the electric blankets were nice and warm. The fire crackled away happily, two bags of blood were warmed and waiting on the hearth, and he'd loaded a selection of movies onto the display. It was going to take a hunt to get the vampire out of this nest once he was settled, and Alucard was guaranteed to bitch about it the entire time should that happen.

If Integra had only realized what an effective vampire trap a soft, cozy, warm electric blanket was, Alex was sure she'd have had a dozen in every room... 


	20. Chapter 17 : Exchanging gifts

*I know, I know. Christmas is long past. But the mental image of Alucard and the slippers just WOULD NOT go away. My mom got chicken houseslippers one year, and the entire family had a great laugh about them. I guess they were destined to show up in a story somehow!*

Exchanging gifts

Christmas had arrived, and Alexander had taken the vampires out Christmas shopping. To his surprise (and great, although hidden, delight!) the vampires both wanted to get a "little something" for the troops.

The previous Christmas, Seras might have vaguely considered the option and Alucard would have thought she'd gone as mad as he. However, the arrival of Anderson had started things changing in a much more positive direction. He was not quite a monster, but not quite a human, either. Seeing him working with the vampires and the close relationship they had had helped to humanize the monsters to the men. And as they interacted in a more positive manner with the vampires, the vampires had begun to offer them a little respect. The final cap had been the soldier that introduced Alucard to a digital reader.

The downside was that the men were routinely harassed when the vampires were bored. The up side was that Alucard had paused on a few missions to offer tips and pointers to the men, and on one occasion had volunteered as backup to them mid-mission. The number of ghouls had been many times greater than expected, and Alucard had stopped pursuing his vampire to stand with the men and shoot any ghoul that got too close. With his presence looming at their back, the ghouls probably hadn't seemed as scary, and he clearly wasn't about to let any of them reach the men, either. His newfound protectiveness had paid off in spades when the soldiers realized that every single one of them was unharmed, much less alive, at the end of what had become a frighteningly dangerous mission.

The mutual respect was heartwarming for Anderson; the vampires had become so much more...social...and were clearly much happier and more content than they had been in decades. They'd never been unhappy, really, but now they had a much broader social circle and were positively blossoming.

And so, the hunt for appropriate presents for the soldiers.

A few days later, the entire Hellsing contingent sat amid a stack of shredded wrapping-paper, enjoying their gifts. Seras had gotten girly-gifts from the men, a sure sign that they now viewed her as something more than a monster. Movies, nail polish, lotions (unscented at Alex's advice), and more were scattered at the floor at her feet. She'd also gotten a few funnier gifts; a rubber bat on a string that squeaked when pulled and a stuffed wolf cub. One of the more creative men had changed out the voice mechanism on the wolf and replaced it with one containing recordings of Seras during training. When squeezed, the wolf cub now came out with phrases like, "Dammit Alucard!" and "Why does it have to be RAINING?" in Seras's voice.

The vampires had given each soldier a small silver cross to wear around their necks, and a pair of gloves with silver-tipped fingers. The gloves were an odd choice, but Alucard pointed out that even if their weapons were gone or broken, the gloves would still be present and were quite capable of driving back a ghoul for a few precious seconds. While the men appreciated the gifts, it was the vampire's concern for their well-being that counted the most. Seras had opted for something a little more extravagant for the men; a state-of-the-art entertainment display, complete with several hundred preloaded movies.

Alucard and Anderson had both gotten some very old books; a 14th century bible for Anderson, and the original printings of some classical books for Alucard. He also had a newer prize that had him grinning a bit; a book on the fall of the Ottoman Empire.

The highlight of the evening was currently on Alucard's feet. One of the men had gotten him, of all things, chicken slippers. The eyes lit up and the birds squawked with each step, and they were possibly the silliest things Anderson had ever seen.

And they were heated. They had been plugged in for an hour and were warm and toasty when presented to the monster. There had been a brief internal debate clear on Alucard's face when he opened the gift, but the lure of the snug slippers had won.

It was all Anderson could do not to laugh whenever he looked over and saw the ancient undead monster, lounging back on the couch, Seras perched happily beside him...with chicken slippers on his feet. 


	21. Chapter 18 : Monsters

*I'd been making the characters a little sweet and light, but never forget that underneath is a monster...*

Monsters

Sometimes, Anderson forgot that Alucard was a monster to everyone but Seras and him. And on nights like tonight, he was forcibly reminded.

There had been a series of mysterious thefts, small children had wandered off at night only to be found miles away, confused and weak. Things had been broken, often dangerously, like a weakened ladder, or stolen, like gun locks. It was not simple pranks that fairy folk would sometimes engage in, but malicious, cruel, and fatal. They had visited the scenes of two deaths, and Alucard's sharp nose had detected the traces of something or someone that was definitely not human.

So now they were tracking whatever-it-was, across a misty field, the damp foggy weather slowly eating into them. Alucard claimed it was excellent for holding scents and was tutoring Seras in the finer points of tracking. The voices became louder, and Anderson peered to see the vampires circling, beginning to move back towards where he stood across the field from them. Unsure of what they were doing, he moved to climb onto a small cairn of tumbled rocks, hoping that the elevation would help him view the vampires more clearly.

Lifted above the fog, he could see their dark forms, with Alucard's white face and Sera's bright hair flashing among the shreds of mist. Yes, they were moving back towards him. Frowning, Anderson loosened a blade, peering into the meadow that stretched between him and the vampires.

The noise was the last thing needed to spook the monster out. Small and wrinkled and wet, yet tiny and delicate and amazingly fast, it shot from the rocks under his feet, leaving waves in the meadow grass as it streaked away. It was very fast, but the vampires were faster.

Alucard scooped it out of the grass, proclaimed that it was a "Sprite, sort of a gremlin," and then the creatures angered shrieks became screams of pain and terror and pure agony. Alucard took his time tearing it apart slowly, as Anderson watched in shocked horror. It was like watching a small child tearing the wings off a fly, just because it could.

"ALUCARD!" The vampire looked up from the sobbing bloody rag of a creature held in its claws, confused, and then saw the horror-stricken face of Anderson. It blinked a moment, then looked down at its claws and then back at its Master. Revelation; the gremlin was ripped apart immediately, its sobs ending abruptly as its spine parted. Anderson closed his eyes, breathing heavily, coming to terms with his pet as the crunching, slurping sounds of a vampire feeding sidled into his ears. When opened, his eyes saw Seras, now in wolf form, having a taste of it, one limp grey arm dangling from her jaws. Alucard's bloody maw was curved in a happy smile.

They walked slowly back to the car, past the handful of soldiers stationed to watch for civilians. Anderson tried to put what he needed into words...

"Alucard...back there...you played with it, tortured it."

The vampire looked puzzled again. "Master, it was a cruel creature, one that takes delight in the pain and deaths of innocents. It did not deserve a quick death, and I did not want to give it one."

Anderson nodded. "The problem is that you...enjoyed it. Far too much."

Alucard frowned now. "And do you not?" A pause, and then, "I remember you hunting Seras, long ago."

Anderson nodded, but stopped to look at Alucard. "And it is one of the sins I ask forgiveness for each night. I did much that I now realize was cruel, wrong, evil. There is no sin in killing an evil creature, and no sin in punishing it. The sin...is in enjoying it." With a heavy sigh, he turned, continuing on to the car, waiting for the vampires to join him before tapping the dividing glass and signalling the driver to return home. Safe behind that glass divider, the driver was saved from hearing any bloody discussions that could occur during their infrequent hunts.

The vampire clearly didn't understand what upset Anderson so, but he was careful to kill his prey quickly in the future, at least when in sight or hearing of his master. And he seemed so calm, so peaceful, and Seras seemed so sweet.

And then there were the times when Anderson could not sleep, for his dreams were haunted by the visions of a tiny, child-like creature, hanging torn and bloody from Alucard's maw, and that limp, delicate gray hand dangling from the wolf's jaws. 


	22. Chapter 19 : Politics

*I decided to update another story, just so I could get a few more reviews. Shameless, aren't I?*

Politics

Alexander truly hated politics. Alucard was no fonder of them himself, having had his fill as the leader of his domains, and then having to put up with Round Table once he'd arrived in England.

By not becoming an "official" part of Hellsing, Alex had avoided most of the political crap that went along with it. There had been one point, where the Round Table had attempted to treat him like a servant, as though his services were something he had no choice in, speaking of the vampires as though they were mindless slaves...and he'd responded by taking the vampires on a vacation. They'd loved the Alps, Seras had learned to ski, they'd toured through the old castles where Dracula had once lived, wandered down through the olive orchards of Spain, and generally enjoyed themselves for a bit. The vampires were both relatively sun-proof, and willing to share a coffin for the trip, and Anderson had splurged and hired a private plane to chauffer them around.

Integra's will had certainly been generous. She'd had the foresight to transfer a large amount of money into gems, gold, silver, and other actual tangible items, "gifted" it to the vampires along with a lot of cold cash as well, and even provided them with a few Swiss bank accounts. They were not lacking for money in the slightest.

Alex had a nice yearly stipend, paid monthly, and while he'd be forfeiting pay for the time not spent in England, he had more than enough to go take the vampires out on a spree. The entire trip was absolutely worth it when Alucard took to correcting tour guides on trips through the European castles.

The Round Table had tried to get his travel visa revoked, frozen his bank accounts, attempted to set Interpol on him, and more. Alex thought that sounded like a wonderful reason for a safari. They didn't get to see a lion, but the trip to the pyramids apparently made up for it to the vampires.

The Head of Hellsing was perfectly happy to take this time to push through a request for a huge increase in troops and weaponry, then hauled the Round Table out on a hunt when they kicked up a fuss. Without the vampires and Alex, with far too few men to actually hunt a vampire, it was a complete rout. Apparently, they'd ended up inside their armored vehicles, the Head chatting with the driver and soldiers about how to handle the infestation, while ghouls tore at the metal walls and drooled down the thick bullet-proof windows and the Round Table members frankly wet their pants.

She'd pulled her men inside before the vampires had a chance to go at them, and it didn't take long for the pair of bloodsuckers to realize that the little gun turrets all over the outside of the armored vehicles fired silver bullets. One had actually been ashed, but she'd let the ghouls moan and drool and scrabble for awhile before ordering them killed as well. When the Knights finally broke down, she let them place a call directly to Alex using the electronics on board the vehicle, and apologize very nicely, then request his presence back in England at the earliest possible convenience. Alex was grinning himself as he kept asking them to repeat themselves, as he couldn't hear them over all the noise the ghouls were making.

It was clearly a case of either paying an exhorbitant amount of money to get a fully-human, fully-equipped battalion capable of effectively hunting vampires, or playing nice with the human that controlled two himself, and smiling as they handed over his very reasonable yearly stipend. They had gotten very accustomed over the last two centuries to viewing the vampires as Hellsing property, and it had come as a tremendous shock to their aristocratic roots to realize that the vampires were now essentially mercenaries.

Alex's one stipulation was that, in the future, at least one Round Table member go on each hunt. As the predatory vampires had flourished during the months that he'd been vacationing with his family, and the populace was noticing and complaining about this, it wasn't hard to get that stipulation agreed to. Quite simply, the vampires would not be leaving the estate to hunt without at least one aristocrat among the soldiers.

It would be a very very long time before the Round Table ever considered treating Hellsing with anything less than the utmost respect, or played politics with the institution again. The Head was a superb politician herself, and Alucard left her in the dust. They both had an evil streak a mile wide and no shame about demanding the most outlandish things, either.

One Round Table member, who'd had the stupidity to refer to Alucard as a "thing," didn't make it back from a hunt near the very beginning. After that, there was near-universal usage of the phrase "Lord Alucard" around him.

He and Seras thought it frightfully funny, and Alex had to fight a grin off his face. They were sure that Integra would have laughed herself sick if she'd known this was going to happen. 


	23. Chapter 20 : Bliss

*I'd posted a few scenes where simply "petting" Alucard had him relax for Abraham. So...why would it be so effective? What DOES that feel like from the vampire's point of view?*

Bliss

Both vampires were sprawled out across Alexander's lap. There had been some pushing and shoving, and Seras looked ready to slip off any time, but by damn, they were both there. As he ran fingers through Alucard's hair, the vampire slipped deeper and deeper into pure bliss, his rumbling purr vibrating the entire couch. Seras was draped on her back, flopped half-over Alucard and Anderson's knees, and the occasional scratch on her chin had her nearly as comatose as Alucard.

Earlier, Alex had asked the vampires just why contact had that sort of effect on them. They'd had difficulty trying to explain it. Seras had likened it to sunbathing; that sense of warmth soaking into you, that heat, that comfort...she said it was like when she was human, napping on the beach in the sun, but better. Alucard had looked at her like she was insane; when he was human, people did not sunbathe, and after he died, he certainly didn't. The sun was no longer warm and soothing to a vampire, after all.

His explanation had been a bit different, though slurred and blurry already.

"The heat...your fingers are like little...mmm...hard to explain. But they leave trails of heat, everywhere they touch. And the sound, your heartbeat, radiates through the touch. I feel your heartbeat, it wraps around me like, mmmm..." here the vampire's brow had creased as he tried in his bliss-fogged mind to come up with a comparison, "like an electric blanket." Content with his pronouncement, he'd stretched out, clearly waiting for Anderson to run a hand down his back.

Anderson obliged.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A few weeks later, he felt that he understood a bit better. The vampires had decided to "repay" him for the pertual attention he lavished on them, and had gotten him his first-ever full spa treatment. It was a very unique experience, and after the sauna, the pedicure and manicure, and then the full-body massage from his cheekbones to his toenails, he understood a bit more. He was completely dazed, every muscle in his body entirely limp, absolutely unwilling to move as he simply sat in the warmth of the whirlpool tub and floated.

Alucard and Seras had joined him, quickly deciding that the estate needed a hottub for them to use as well. As they relaxed in the heat and steam, Seras spoke up, mumbling happily, "This is what it feels like for us...but better." Anderson cracked his eyes to see Alucard nodding in agreement.

The next time they were draped over his lap and squabbling for position, Alexander understood a bit better what was happening. Fortunately, he mused, watching the vampires in their somnolent, near-drooling state of relaxation, it was easy to get them past the squabbling.

He grinned as he scratched lightly through Alucard's hair, then continued with a gentle stroke down Sera's arm.

Very, very easy, indeed. 


	24. Chapter 21 : Growth

*I am supposed to be up and about to grade a science fair at 8 am. It's past midnight here. And yet, the keyboard called... There's a WONDERFUL set of vampire novels by P. N. Elrod. Her vampire characters can turn into a sort of invisible foggy form, able to sieve through walls, float about in the air, etc. I handed Alucard something similar, although I had to admit it wasn't my own idea and really, he can already pass through walls and put eyeballs whereever he wants. Ooooh, that just launched another plotbunny...*

Growth

There really wasn't much for Hellsing to do anymore.

There was always the occasional vampire that, after fifty or more years of careful, cautious sanity, would finally slip into insanity and go on a rampage. Sometimes a newly released vampire would make mistake, creating an unexpected fledgling or ghoul. Just like humans and car accidents, vampires were capable of the occasional deadly accident as well, and when you existed as long as a vampire could, it became more and more likely.

So there was "regular" work for them, but rare. It wasn't unusual for more than a month to pass by, then find the monotony broken by a single accidental ghoul. Seras's powers were continuing to blossom by leaps and bounds; Alucard had released her prior to Integra's passing, and over the past few years she had accessed both her wolf and bat forms, and with Alucard's assistance was able to pass through walls. It would be decades more before she could do so without his assistance, but she was already a quite powerful vampire.

Of course, he'd had to face the realization that she became very...aggressive...when her powers developed. Alucard had explained the situation, and Anderson had ended up in a very...uncomfortable...discussion with a few of the male troops that she had been eyeing.

One of the men had clearly been brave enough to take her up on the offer, and Seras was positively smug about her new found abilities, both as a female and as a vampire. It had surprised Alex to find out how innocent she still was in certain matters; she'd known the textbook theory of it, and Alucard had made certain she was well versed in theory on how a vampire went about it and still kept a human safe, but she'd never pursued anyone until her body made it a necessity.

Her newly awakened sexuality was both a source of amusement and concern to Alex and Alucard, who viewed her with the protectiveness of both a big brother and a father combined, and thus a source of anxiety to any male caught so much as looking at Seras.

And now Alucard was...developing. It had been a slow few months, and Alex had noticed that his vampire was...clingier. Looming. Focused. On him. Oddly enough, it had been Seras, now much more confident in such matters, that had clarified the situation. A new power was "ripening" in the ancient monster, and thus he was more "interested" in humans at this time. As his Master, Alex was going to find himself the center of the vampire's attention at times, no matter how either felt about it!

So, in his free time, Alex found himself reading the older journals, trying to find out how the previous Masters had dealt with this situation. It would have been easier to read had there not been glowing red eyes absolutely focused on each move he made, although the vampire had chosen a seat in the far corner of the room instead of by his Master. Each turn of the page was matched by a slow blink of those molten eyes, the electronic reader lying entirely neglected on the vampire's lap. Every little bit, the vampire would grumble and stomp off through a wall, only to be drawn back like a moth to a flame, fully aware that it was going to be singed, utterly annoyed at it, but still drawn regardless.

Well, there was one female on the entire estate, other than the resident vampire female, that wasn't terrified of the vampire. The handful of females in the troops were a possibility, but two were apparently involved with each other, and the other three were in relationships of their own, and each and every one was either frightened by or even terrified of the red-eyed monster. It appeared that female troops had a healthier respect for their well-being than the male troops, because none of them were likely to allow Alucard anywhere near their beds! However, one female didn't hesitate to occasionally boss and chastise the beast, to its grinning and fanged delight.

She was no Integra, but she'd been chosen for her attitude as much as for her ability, and the Head of Hellsing was a match for that vampire almost any day of the week.

She was also shocked, then intrigued, then finally delighted at the chance to render a "service" to the vampire, and thus have him in her debt...while providing a "service" Alex had no doubt she was going to thoroughly enjoy.

It was with a grin that he struggled to fight off his face that Alex solemnly announced to Alucard that the Head of Hellsing required his assistance that evening, and the puzzled vampire took the immediate opportunity to legitimately put a distance between himself and his master.

Seras came in shortly afterwards, convulsed with laughter. Apparently, sharp vampiric ears could hear exactly what was occurring... Anderson would have asked, but the sight of her sitting quietly and then occasionally simply falling over with silent laughter at something she had heard was far too entertaining. And prolonged, too...either vampires had absolutely incredible stamina, or the Head was just as demanding as he had thought she might be, and then some...

Poor Alucard.

He was still somewhat dazed the next evening. Questioning by Alex and his not-terribly-respectful offspring nearly caused him to retreat down to the quiet of the dungeons, but instead, he opted for something a bit different.

In the space of one heartbeat and the next, the vampire vanished. Gone, in the blink of an eye, causing both Alex and Seras to sit up in complete shock. He hadn't faded to a mist, wandered through a wall, or switched to a smaller and less conspicuous form, he had simply disappeared as though a light switch had been flicked.

Alex could FEEL him there; the looming predatory essence of "vampire" remained somewhere near the chair where the irritated monster had been curled. Seras's eyes remained focused on the chair as well, clearly sensing the master vampire, but unable to see him.

He'd gone invisible. Seras's hand waved through the space where the monster should have been. Incorporeal, too.

Well, this was a nifty new trick.

After a few moments to process this, Alex groaned. Oh, Lord. Round Table conferences were about to get VERY interesting, he could just imagine the pranks that the vampire would get into with this new ability.

What he hadn't imagined was that both Seras and the Head would aid and abet the vampire in such pranks.

Well, it beat boredom. 


	25. Chapter 24 : Hunting Lesson

*They have a nearly indestructible human to play with now. Good thing Alex has a sense of humor...*

Hunting Lesson

The soldiers were SUPPOSED to be learning about how to hunt werewolves. That was the general idea. Agencies in other countries had long since taken note of the British approach to dealing with supernatural threats, and started realizing just how many of those "Missing Person" reports might not be the result of a human monster. As a result, the numbers of the Hellsing troops had been increased, and trained units were being sent out to train other units elsewhere.

That meant those units had to be TRAINED. Courtesy of the sheer number of supernatural monsters Alucard had eaten over the years, he was able to mimic almost anything anyone might come across. Seras was far more limited, but she worked directly with the men, pointing out and interpreting signs and indications of what they were hunting and what it was doing.

Werewolves were fairly rare, but several dozen large packs were known to exist in North American alone and others roamed through Siberia. Anywhere that wild wolves existed as a cover, werewolves tended to live. They rarely caused any problems, prefering to live their own quiet semi-human lives and then go out hunting for animals during the full moon. They were human enough, though, to produce their own monsters from time to time. And those rogue werewolves were smart, tough, fast, and very, very difficult to track or kill.

So, today, Alex was riding in the carrier with the men, after a supposed pair of rogue werewolves. Seras and Alucard were playing the part of wolves, leading them men on, laying down a trail, and acting like a pair of rough weres might. Or that was the PLAN. Instead, Seras and Alucard were simply playing. The summer night was bright, but not overly warm, there was a full moon hanging brightly overhead, a light gusty breeze, the air simply snapped with vitality and growth, and neither vampire was doing much towards keeping their minds on the job.

Or so he thought, after coming across the fouth big area of flattened grass, a clear sign of yet another wrestling match. They'd also found a big hole with dirt strewn everywhere about it, although whether or not the hairballs had gotten the rabbit after all that work was anyone's guess. It was while he was leaning over the hole, showing the men how to differentiate from a wolf's work versus a werewolf's work (the muscle difference made for much deeper gouges) that he discovered that maybe the two vampires weren't taking this exercise as lightly as he thought.

Werewolves were not wolves, there was a human intelligence and ingenuity behind those feral eyes. They did not have a wolf's limitations, nor did they have that basic fear of humans that kept true wolves far away. The hole had been dug underneath the low branches of a pine tree, and as Alex played his flashlight over the gouges, a sudden weight slammed into his back, knocking him down as jaws clamped about his throat.

The wolf-Seras, damn her-immediately released him, then bounced away before the men could respond, plumed tail waving merrily. Alucard was watching somewhere in human form, although the vampire was probably not watching now. No, judging from the sounds, he was rolling about on the forest floor laughing his vampiric ass off.

Alex lay on the ground, arm tossed over his eyes, and just sighed. "And never forget that a werewolf has a human's abilities and ways of thinking, too. And they'll use them. Seras climbed a tree after they set up this ambush, but they'll run you over with a car, hide in a closet (and then hold the handle so you think the door is locked), or scramble up a fire escape, too." He sat up, wiped the drool off his neck, and they continued onwards.

He'd just been knocked down with a wolf's teeth about his throat, then calmly gave them a lesson on werewolf thought processes, stood up, and went on hunting them.

The men would have been in awe of him after that, except that they already knew he let the vampires SLEEP ON HIS BED and NOTHING was going to top THAT. 


	26. Chapter 25 : Orientation

*Yes, there is more to this chapter, but I chose to go ahead and publish this first half, now, or you'd be waiting another day to get the chapter! Short ones are easier to get written. Enjoy! And thank you for the dozen or so people that review, especially the half-dozen that make a point of telling me what they like and how much they appreciate the regular updates.

That's why the updates are so regular :D*

Orientation

More new recruits.

Alex sighed a bit, resigned to this less-fun aspect of his job as the Master of the Monsters. With the decision to send units off to work in other regions, there was a need to recruit and train a much larger number of soldiers. Every person in front of him had passed a stringent background check and been highly recommended to Hellsing, but tonight was when they found out what this job offer actually entailed, and quite a few of these men and women would not be staying.

He waited quietly beside Seras as Sir Hellsing gave her brief welcome speech and introduction. She was currently explaining her position, and while she did so, he and Seras sized up the potential new recruits.

"I am in charge of the organization. That means that the final decision to hire or fire rests with me. I order your supplies, locate the objects of your missions, and interact with the other military officials. What I do NOT do is train you. I will occasionally accompany you on missions, as will at least one other high-ranking British official, but my participation is limited.

Your training will be by your own immediate officers, specifically Officer Victoria. She will be working closely with Alexander Anderson," and here he nodded, the same reserved acknowledgement that Seras had provided, "and an additional team member. If you have any questions, direct them to your superior officers, Alexander, or Ms. Victoria. I am a busy woman," and here, her glare could have frozen fire, "do not bother me with mundanities, but should something extremely important occur and you are not able to speak to your supervisors about this, then and only then may you request a meeting." She stepped back, turning to face Alex and Seras. "I will leave further orientation in their capable hands. Welcome to Hellsing."

As she strode off, Alexander took the stage. They'd had Seras brief the first set of troops, but her small stature and apparent youth had caused problems from the start, and it was simply easier to let a looming, bulky, older Anderson handle the initiations. For now, she waited for her turn to speak, red eyes considerately placed behind tinted lenses. Partly it was for her own comfort, for the LEDs on the ceiling were brighter than a vampire was comfortable with. Mostly it was to keep the troops from being distracted and frightened by having a vampire in the room! Instead, she quietly watched Anderson, waiting for her turn with the candidates.

"I am Alexander Anderson, in charge of a special subset of Hellsing. As such, I am your go-between, the person that you will speak to when the regular troops of Hellsing are working with these special members. Officer Victoria is occasionally involved directly with the troops as well, primarily in a training capacity.

Most people are aware that there is a supernatural element to Britain after the events including the destruction of London decades ago. That element still exists. Normally, it is harmless, part of the background fabric of every place on Earth. Sometimes, it is beneficial, normally it is separate. However, there are some less pleasant creatures. When they turn to humans as prey, due to insanity, laziness, or evil, that is when Hellsing steps in.

Many of these creatures are simply too dangerous for a human to take down. Your weapons and training will make you capable of doing so, but there will be casualties. Therefore, Hellsing retains the expertise and abilities of a few rather unusual creatures, capable of safely hunting down and removing such monsters. The last truly powerful monster showed up in London itself, and Hellsing did indeed remove it, but due to unfortunate circumstances surrounding the hunt, was not permitted to remove it with the necessary speed. A few of you are old enough to remember a few specifics of what occurred."

The looks of utter shock and horror on their faces was clear. Hellsing had been involved, the name had been whispered about, although the actual details had never been publicized. There had clearly been a supernatural element; great dogs and snakes fighting above the city were not conventional means of warfare. However, time to ignore that shock and continue.

"You will NOT be fighting such creatures except in the most unusual of circumstances. Your job will be to take care of the lesser creatures and minions, to keep civilians safe, to patrol perimeters, and, on rare occasions, to serve as carefully protected bait." A lopsided smile. "Given the opportunity, we prefer to lure the beasties out into uninhabited regions, THEN kill them. Nevertheless, each of you will train for a worst-case scenario and know how to damage even the most powerful of creatures.

Hellsing has employed three specific individuals, that subset of special troops already mentioned, to assist in removing the targets. One is a human, the other two are not. They do not pose a threat to Hellsing employees without provocation, but if you are not comfortable working side-by-side with nonhumans, this is not going to be a comfortable situation for you. Is there anyone here who would object to regularly finding themselves arms-length from a vampire? Or who would prefer to go after human monsters, and not supernatural ones?" He watched the collection of candidates, waiting quietly, clearly expecting and not condemning them for admitting that they were frightened of vampires, or would prefer a more standard target.

After a few seconds of his patient stare and their uncomfortable shuffling, a hand went up, followed immediately by nearly a dozen others. Alexander nodded. "Those of you who would prefer not to continue with Hellsing, please exit out the door to left. You'll be given a meal before you leave, and a brief letter explaining that you were not refused hire here, but chose to pursue a career elsewhere. We found many years ago that after the London incident, soldiers who mentioned being at Hellsing were somewhat blacklisted. We do not intend to have that happen to any of you, thus the letter. With this in mind, is there anyone else that would prefer to leave?" A single additional soldier joined the small group leaving, her steps quick and relief visible on her features.

"Now..." he turned to the others, a small on his face. "Time to introduce you to your trainer, and tonight we'll begin the first round of your training. Sir Hellsing has covered the financial basics, from pay to benefits. I've covered who you work with and what you'll be hunting. And now Seras will begin to teach you just how to hunt them. Before then, are there any additional questions?"

A few hands went up, and the first question was simple. "When will we meet the vampire and the other two?"

Alexander simply nodded. "I will guarantee each of you that, having been on Hellsing grounds, you're already acquainted with at least two of them and possibly the third." He paused for a moment, thinking, then, "How many of you saw the large black dog watching you come in?" A few surprised looks, and a lot of nods. Alucard was constantly on the lookout for something to do, and watching the newcomers arrive was novel enough that he'd risen early to watch. "That was no dog, but is typical of the interactions you'll have with that particular vampire." Ignoring their looks of shock, he turned them over to Seras.

Seras, despite nearly 4 decades as a vampire, retained the bounce and vitality of the rookie officer she had been so long ago. She had the confidence of her age, though, and pushed right on in to the lessons. "Right, so you know a bit about what we hunt and why. Each day will consist of lessons on identifying creatures, their weaknesses, and best practices. There will be lessons on using the various weapons available for our soldiers, from arrows, swords, and handguns to assault rifles and grenade launchers. We also have some highly advanced weaponry, very specific to vampire hunting, that you'll be gaining proficiency in as well.

Over the next few days, we'll be testing you out on various weaponry. However, the first thing we teach you is what to do when a monster happens to get close to you. For that, you'll need to go to the locker rooms. You'll be assigned a locker there, and be given a set of workout clothing. You'll also be assigned a room and will have time to store your belongings. I expect you to be waiting for me in the gym in workout clothing in thirty minutes. You will not be asked to sign any contract until after tonight's lesson."

The looks on the faces of the soldiers watching her were neither respectful nor fearful. She didn't mind the lack of fear, but yet again she quietly cursed her curvy and youthful appearance.

Then again, this was why the hand-to-hand combat came as the first lesson. Anyone dumb enough to lack respect and a healthy dose of caution around her after that was probably too stupid to work for Hellsing.

As the candidates filed out, muttering about the kid in charge, a smirk crossed her face. Alex just watched her, shaking his head. He knew exactly what would be happening in half an hour.

She was nice enough to wait until everyone had filed out before finally releasing a sharp-toothed, anticipatory grin.  



	27. Chapter 26 : Hand to hand

*The second half to orientation. Long, but I liked it! Hope you enjoy reading it, and if so, please let me know. Just click the "review" button and leave me an anonymous review. Also, if I make any errors in a story beyond a minor typo, please take a moment to tell me. Thanks!*

Hand to Hand

The candidates were milling about, a few wise enough to begin stretching and warming up, when Seras entered. About a half-dozen were finishing up their preparations; hanging clothes, pulling back hair, changing clothes, and more, and not yet present. While waiting on them, she went to the wall and began removing the thick, heavy mats that leaned against it. Alucard was lurking in the doorway off to the side, watching her with a toothy grin, out of sight of the troops themselves while in that short, dark hallway. As the last of the mats thudded onto the ground, the missing people filed in. She'd given them a half-hour, each one had arrived with time to spare.

She wasn't overly impressed by their clear lack of comprehension of just how heavy those mats were. Having seen her pull them down and move them about, their blatant assumption was that the mats must be very lightweight. They were thick canvas mats, over a dozen feet square, with four inches of thick padding inside, used for hand-to-hand training and weighing in at about 200 pounds each. It had only taken her a few minutes to cover the majority of the floor with such protection. Light-weight mats? Maybe for her.

Well, they'd be learning soon enough.

"Form up. I need everyone where they can see and hear me clearly." A few minutes of shuffling, and half-circle of people watched her as she stood by the mats. "There is always the chance that, despite our best efforts, a vampire, ghoul, or other creature gets too close to you. We have learned over the century and a half that Hellsing has existed that even when someone is trained in standard hand-to-hand combat, they end up dead when this happens.

The goal of hand-to-hand combat, against a supernatural creature, is not to kill them, not to disable them, not to pin them down. Any attempts to do that will simply get you killed, eaten, or worse."

Their faces were serious as they watched her, listening, but there was still an aspect of patronization rolling off some of the older members.

"Therefore, your goal is to get away from whatever or whoever is attacking you. Training will consist of how to break holds, how to fling the attacker the farthest distance, and how to position yourself so that as soon as the hold is broken, you can run. As soon as there is any distance between you and the monster, the others can shoot it or the special troops can kill it. We prefer not to damage anyone with "friendly fire," after all.

For the first lesson, I'll be pretending to try and attack you. Your goal is to either get me away from you, or get away yourselves. Each soldier of Hellsing is given gloves with silver-tipped fingers and a silver cross, both highly effective in close encounters. You'll be using a steel X instead of a cross, and the gloves aren't tipped; each of you has been given those supplies when you received your workout uniform. If you strike a vampire, ghoul, and some other supernatural attackers across the face with those gloves, it will cause terrible burns. Any contact on bare skin may cause the creature to lose its grip on you or pause.

Your goal is to get at least five feet between us, for any length of time. I'll respond as though the gloves and cross were real and I was a weak vampire or ghoul. Who wants to go first?"

Alucard was laughing soundlessly, damn him, still out of sight of the troops. She was tiny, only a few of the women anywhere near her size. She looked at least five years younger than the others, all veterans. And she looked breakable. Well, they'd learn. His approving and amused stare nearly earned him a hiss, and he drew back a bit further into the shadows to watch.

The first soldier finally stepped up. A little older than most of them, with the solid look and short hair of a career military man. At some point, he'd clearly learned not to make assumptions on appearances, because he was treating her with a caution not warranted by the minor threat she appeared to be. He was also experienced enough to know that wearing sunglasses in a sparring match was not acceptable.

"Your glasses, ma'am." His tone was respectful, simply a polite reminder. And so Seras didn't terrify him, and made a note not to embarass this one. Too much.

"For now, they stay. I'll take them off later, but the sunlight can cause problems." Since the sun was nearly set, and there was only a minimal amount of light coming in the enormous skylights, he looked a bit puzzled. Then he just gave a small shrug, and moved to the middle of the mat, taking a practiced stance, wary eyes on her.

Seras nodded her approval. "First lesson, Ghouls. Ghouls occur when a vampire is either criminally careless or deliberately infects a non-virgin. They're slow and stupid, but powerful, and completely immune to pain from most injuries. And if their mouth touches you, you're a ghoul. All it takes is one scratch from one tooth. Five feet distance, or you make it off the mats. Either one would be sufficient." With that, she reached towards him. He turned to dodge and she swiped, fingers managing to catch the end of his sleeve, pulling him off balance and knocking him down. He remembered his gloves, twisting his hand to shove them towards her, and she released his grip as the tips brushed her wrist.

She shouldn't have been able to pull him down like that, if she were human. To the onlookers, it must have seemed as if he tripped, but he'd had no chance of breaking that grip once she'd touched his sleeve, and even less chance of resisting the pull she gave.

He was smart enough to hit the ground and roll, getting his feet under him and shoving off, moving to the edge of the mat. She was more and more impressed, he was taking her seriously, and not trying to actually fight her. But she was not about to let her prey get away, lunging at him and actually catching a foot.

With a wicked grin, she kissed his calf, announcing "Ghoul!". The others chuckled at him, not realizing what they'd seen. She gave him a slight smile and a whispered, "Very good. Very, very good. And you remembered the gloves, too. Now watch the others."

Sure enough, the next one was all bluster and cockiness, one of the youngest of the group. She stood arms length from him, and waited. "Ready?" She waited for his attack, knowing she'd called it right, that this one hadn't listened to the warnings of not attacking, only fleeing, of escape and not dominance, and he actually ENGAGED her in hand-to-hand combat! Or tried to. He swiped at her leg, only to find he might as well have kicked a brick wall. Simultaneously, she grabbed his shirt, twisting and pulling him close, then placing her lips against his neck.

His pulse thundered against her lips, the heat rising off him, the slightly salty taste of his sweat so enticing...and it was with a bit of difficulty that she pushed him away, announcing "Ghoul." He looked ready to argue, but she simply pointed him off the mat.

She turned to look at them. "Ghouls are slow, but incredibly powerful and totally insensitive to pain other than from very specialized weapons. Never, EVER engage a ghoul in combat. If it's not touching you, RUN. You have gloves for a reason; if I'd been a ghoul, and the first volunteer had managed a more solid touch with those tips, he might very well have gotten away. NEVER engage one in combat. You cannot win. You can only escape. And ghouls are the slowest things you'll face. Vampires ...you won't even see it move."

"So how do we fight a vampire?" A belligerent male...and the others were giving him "You idiot" looks, too. Good.

"You won't. You'll leave that to me. If you try to fight a vampire, you'll end up dead even faster than with a ghoul. Distract. Flee. Use your cross and your silver gloves. That black wolf you saw, the vampire, gave those to Hellsing troops for a reason; they are effective. But you won't ever be fighting a vampire hand-to-hand, you'll be getting away from it and letting the others shoot it, or letting me in to take care of it."

A few people had figured out what was going on. There had been mention made of the three special troops...and they apparently thought they'd spotted the human one. The others were simply scornful, thinking that she herself was the bragging and overconfident youngster.

"Young lady...are you telling us that you have killed a vampire in hand-to-hand combat?" This from a clearly skeptical woman, salt-and-pepper no-nonsense haircut and bearing making Seras think strongly of a drill sergeant. And she might well have been, too; Hellsing demanded only experienced troops that had been in combat, and since most officers would not leave their positions to accept a place elsewhere, that meant soldiers and sergeants. It definitely kept the power structure nice and uncluttered, but you'd have to prove yourself to a drill sergeant. They had expectations. And they made them clear.

"No, I've killed more than one." Actually, it was probably much more than one hundred now. She usually got to deliver the final blow, because while Alucard wasn't going to get much more powerful, she could. And the power gained from each kill was part of why she was arguably the second most power vampire in existence.

The scorn and disbelief were clear. She'd lost all credibility with that claim. It was a blatant setup, but before the troops signed a paper to join, they needed to know exactly what a vampire was capable of. And this little demonstration would also cure them of their suicidal urges to actually try to fight a monster.

"Would you like me to have that vampire run through a demonstration with me? I think it would be beneficial for you to see what a vampire is capable of. He will occasionally help me train." What she didn't add but that ran through her head at that was, "...if he's bored enough." "Also, Anderson may come down and play "ghoul" in a bit, he was planning on observing and helping with the hand-to-hand, as he's very skilled at it." And she really couldn't see any of them willing to tackle a practice session with her or Alucard after this, so Alex would have to do until they settled down.

At their looks of disbelief but predominantly curiousity, an improvement, she turned to the corner where Alucard looked. They'd all missed his presence, although he wasn't exactly hiding. If they wanted to live, they needed to be a lot more observant and this was a good experience for that. He glided out of the shadow, decked out with hat, glasses, and coat, radiating a quiet menace, and every single person in the room backed up several steps.

Head tilted, he simply said quietly, "Anderson is coming, he'll be here momentarily."

"Good, but lose the glasses and that damned pimp outfit."

He flashed a pointy grin at her, then reached out to gently remove her own glasses. "Sun's down, little one. And fair is only fair." His coat and glasses melted away, the hat vanishing into the wisps of his hair, and he stood facing her in his white shirt and pants, polished boots and necktie giving him an elegant and refined, almost beautiful appearance. Beautiful like a cobra.

"Am I playing monster vampire tonight? Or would you like that role and I can be the helpless victim?" A sardonic grin now annointed his face, and between that and her obvious red eyes, the soldiers were starting to slip towards the door. Before they could exit, Anderson came striding through.

"Ah, good. Aye was worried ye'd have started without me and terrified instead of trained." He smiled over at the frightened troops, "You're in no danger. These two are what keep you safe; and I'll tell you now that NOTHING you encounter will be more frightening. So just watch a bit, and see what a vampire is capable of." He walked over to join them, adding a physical reassurance, and then turned to watch, clearly waiting.

Seras grinned up at her former master, then reached out to tap his shoulder.

"Tag. You're it."

If Anderson hadn't been there, standing calmly and shouting out advice and encouragement to the wrestling monsters, it's likely the entire troop would have stampeded out. But his casual acceptance and then the arrival of a handful of veteran troopers lured in by the snarls and vicious growls, who then stayed to watch the show with approval, changed the blatant fear into respect.

Seras couldn't quite get away from Alucard. She'd fling him across the room and leap away herself, only to find him right behind her. He couldn't quite catch her; she was like a moonbeam, appearing to be in his hands but somehow evading his grip. Neither one was managing to connect more than the lightest of blows.

It might have gone on for hours, except that Alexander decided to even things out a bit. He wasn't as fast as a vampire, but there wasn't a human alive that could match him, and he had his little toys.

A bayonet thudded into the wall in front of Alucard, causing him to windmill backwards to avoid running into the silver blade. Seras spun, dipped under the blade, and tackled Alucard. Within a blink, he'd pinned her, but before he could do a thing, Anderson barreled into his side, knocking him over.

It just went downhill from there, ending in a full-fledged wrestling session. At one point, Anderson was accidentally flung into the wall, slamming into the cinder blocks with his feet dangling five feet off the floor. There was a concerted gasp from the watchers, which quickly ended as he slid to the floor and drew a bayonet, chasing Alucard and bellowing dire threats at the vampire for daring to do that.

Seras took the opporturnity to return to the troops, eyes sparkling, hair mussed, grinning happily, and resume her teaching position as the other two tusseled in the background. Alucard was apparently back in wolf form, to judge by the yip she'd just heard.

"And that is why we'll be taking care of any vampires. Now, when those two finish, I'd like you to split into three groups, and we'll play "ghoul" while you practice escaping."

Seras was delighted when only one person fainted.

" 


	28. Chapter 27 : Intrusion

*This was meant to have Girlycard in it, but the rats and bats won out. Hope you enjoy, and that you all for the reviews!*

Intrusion

No one was to go into the lower levels. Anderson knew damn good and well he'd made that very clear to every commander, and made certain that they told the troops as well. And yet, here the door to the basements was, wide open, and someone had clearly not listened.

The lower levels contained research rooms, which contained Hellsing secrets and Hellsing information. Much of the armament, especially for the vampire's guns, was also kept in those levels. The texts on black magic that the vampire had, dusty and unused as they were, were locked into one of those rooms, as was the ritual chamber where he had been bound. The book containing full details of the binding ritual, plus a lot of very expensive jewels and silver items, were also secreted away in that room.

And someone had gone wandering down there, without permission.

Anderson shrugged and closed the door, locking it tightly with a slightly malicious grin. There was only one entrance to the lower levels. Every other one had been bricked up and permanently sealed by a very paranoid vampire. That didn't slow the three of them down any, and they almost never used the door anyways. But that door was now tightly locked, and it was with a smirk that Anderson dropped the bar over the outside of the door.

People always wondered what on earth needed to be locked INTO the basement that required such a heavy bar and stout brackets on the OUTSIDE of the door. Well...if you wanted to know how to kill a gremlin, sometimes you had to catch one first. Or a goblin. Or a troll. Or a, well, anything nasty that needed to be studied. The more verbal ones were usually all to happy to tell all, with the prize of a comfortable confinement and then a quick death; sometimes they'd even been released if it was decided that they no longer would pose a threat to humans.

Others hadn't been so cooperative, and finding out their secrets was a painful and drawn-out process.

That meant that, on rare occasions, a very pissed-off supernatural creature was roaming around down in those hallways, one with a long history of killing humans. And besides Alucard, sometimes there were other less-than-friendly creatures.

Alexander went off to get a drink and a snack and a comfortable chair, taking time to arrange himself in front of the doorway, feet propped up on an ottoman, and just...waiting...for the shit to hit the fan.

xx

Viktor had been very surprised when he was recruited to join a "special" military team. He'd been even more surprised when the very first day, he'd found himself on a plane with a score more soldiers, traveling to England to "train." On arrival, he'd met people from Brazil, from Canada, from Egypt, and from other countries, each one part of a large group sent to "train." They'd been arriving throughout the day, most of them not certain exactly what was going on but the rumor had it they'd be hunting monsters.

No one really believed it, but it seems that each group had been told they'd be training to hunt vampires, ghouls, goblins, and other mythical boogeymen.

They'd also been told to stay out of the basement and not to try and open any locked doors. Viktor had made a very profitable life out of ignoring such rules, and it hadn't taken him long to find a few unobserved moments, pick the lock on the heavy door, and head into the basement. The others could be wandering about, enjoying the amenities of the mansion, but he was going to find himself a little extra pay.

xx

Viktor hadn't found anything worthwhile. There had been rooms of medical equipment, most of it looking outdated but still valuable. Valuable, but large, bulky, and not the small and portable source of wealth he preferred. A few rooms had broken and aged furniture, some of it probably antique and pricey even in poor condition, but he could hardly sneak a three-legged settee up the stairs. There were several more rooms in the hallway, visible with just his little hand-light, and he'd just started. Maybe there would be more items in the other rooms, more interesting, more valuable.

More dust and bulky useless items. And more. This hallway was a bust. However, it was likely that the good stuff was further back, more well-hidden. Even if it was simply a safe full of stocks and bonds, he could use them. The hallway dead-ended, and so he turned to go back the other way. A half-dozen doors up was where the stairs were, and he walked past them before realizing...

There were no stairs.

Maybe he had gone further than he thought? Maybe it was 8 or 9 doors, not 6. It wasn't. Nor ten, nor 12. There were no stairs.

Pause. Think. Perhaps a room had two doors, and he had gotten confused and exited out the wrong one? He returned to the dead-end, opening and checking each room in order, methodically and carefully. They all looked the same, each one just like he remembered, and none possessed an extra door. Panic threatened to kick in; he KNEW there had been stairs he. He recognized the first room he had entered, the stairs should be directly beside it, not an unbroken expanse of stone and brick down to the next room. He pushed the panic down, squatting on the floor, pondering.

He was lost, in a single hallway. The staircase was clearly gone, somehow. His mind put in visions of pivoting walls and sliding doors masquerading as stone walls. Why anyone would have that down here, he didn't know, and began feeling along the wall, pushing carefully, shifting the rock about. To his shock, when he reached for a section of what appeared to be nondescript rock wall, his hand went through it like fog. It wasn't fog...not unless fog was icy cold, incorporeal yet shudderingly slimy; it was like reaching into the gut of a cold corpse, a horrific experience, and he jerked his hand back out, stifling a shriek.

He would not shriek. He would not shriek. He would not fall down, babbling. He WOULD check his hand closely for injury; it appeared entirely unharmed. And he WOULD find another way out.

Amused red eyes followed him.

xx

Doors appeared frighteningly mobile. One hallway would be entirely devoid of them, a simple corridor, and when he turned, there would be a row of doors, old lights dangling half-ruined from the ceiling. He found stairs, but always leading down. He was only foolish enough to take one set of them, finding that those stairs, too, vanished. He found them again when retracing the hall later on, but they entered into a hallway that looked nothing like he had remembered.

He had forgotten why he was down here. All thoughts of treasuries and jewels, of the valuables one might expect to find in a fire-proof basement, of the potential easy profit, were gone.

He just wanted OUT.

xx

Alexander flipped to another page in the magazine. It was well past midnight. The poor bastard had been down there for hours.

Flip.

He rather envied the vampires their fun.

xxx

Viktor was stumbling now with fatigue and terror. Lost, he was completely lost, bad enough that it was a maze to begin with but he'd swear on his mother's grave that the halls MOVED. And there were rats. He normally never noticed rats, but these seemed obscenely plump and slick, and rather than the silvery-blue reflection he'd expected, their eyes reflected Hell red. What he deliberately fought to ignore was that they reflected that hellish color even when there was no light shining on them to reflect. But rats there were, randomly appearing here and there, and never more than one at a time, but he'd never been frightened by a rat before and now, every time he saw one, he nearly pissed himself.

And bats.

He had turned a corner to find a stone wall directly in front of his face, not another long corridor. Less than a foot away had been a bat, and it had not flapped away, as a bat should do. It had HISSED, and he would swear that it had fangs, a mouth full of glittering needles. It had swooped at his light, and he'd nearly dropped it, but had managed to keep ahold of it as the bat danced through the air around him. He'd waved wildly at the air, trying to fend it off, and the bat's squeaks had been joined by squeaks near his feet. Not the cute little squeaks of a pet mouse, but the angry, infuriated squeaks of a large rat, inches from his calf.

The bat had darted off then, down the dark corridors, and the rat had vanished as well. Finally cracking, sobbing with fear, he stumbled onwards.

Stairs. Plain, solid, wooden stairs. And the door at the top of them had light coming under it.

xxx

Some of the visitors had stopped to have a chat with Anderson. They knew he'd be in charge of much of their training, but the last contingent of troops had not yet arrived and full orientation would not occur until they had. They were taking advantage of the opportunity to find out why there was a fat, overstuffed chair in the hallway along with an ottoman, and the remains of a plate of nachos on the floor beside it. It was a hallway, and beside the basement door as well. It was not where one expected to find living room furniture arranged.

"Aye, one or more of the others has decided to take a tour of the basement." Anderson was calm as he explained. "I'm waiting for them to be done playing with him and let him out. They ate well last night, I doubt they're going to kill him." The men looked at him, in complete confusion. "The basements aren't safe and they are inhabited by more than spiders and dust. Whoever went down there has encountered those inhabitants by now. I don't think those people have been hurt unless they did something incredibly foolish or aggressive, but I daresay they're not having a good time." He grinned wolfishly. "And they'll be up banging on the door soon."

Several minutes passed while the men chatted away, conversation turning to the grounds, how many troops were coming to train, how long it would take, how long Anderson had worked for Hellsing, and more.

"Ah." Anderson nodded to the doorway, where a dainty white hand had reached THROUGH THE DOOR and was lifting the bar. Once lifted, the disembodied hand moved to the handle and clicked the lock open, then withdrew silently through the door.

Anderson seemed entirely unperturbed by this, but the men were backing away nervously. A heavy body slammed into the door, shaking it back and forth as the handle was clearly jerked, then a pause...the knob turned, and every man except Anderson prepared to flee.

xxx

Viktor stumbled out, squinting as the bright lights of the hallway seared his eyes.

Out, out, he was out.

He continued his stumble down the hallway, fleeing to his room and the bottle of fine vodka he'd stashed in his bedding.

He was going to spend the rest of the night drunk.

xxx

The vampires spent it telling a very amused Anderson and a very awed set of troops, both theirs and the visitors, just what they had done. 


	29. Chapter 29 : A Family

*I decided to stop adding new chapters to Renewal, and add another one to Succession. For those of you just starting the stuff I've written, Awaken is first. Unpredictable is second in the series, then Renewal, and Succession is the last. It makes more sense if you read Awaken first, but no matter where you started, I hope you are enjoying! Reviews are loved. Ideas, suggestions, plot bunnies (yes, a siren story IS in the works!) and whatever you'd like to say. Thanks!

A Family

The vampires wouldn't be awake for another hour or two, and Anderson was taking advantage of his daily "quiet time." He generally woke in the late afternoon, and was awake until a few hours until dawn. The vampires woke at sunset, and slept at dawn. The exception was when they had an incident like the Iscariot "visit" a week ago. Wolfe had contacted him, the glee in her voice obvious, to warn him that a handful of what she called "stuff-shirt pompous asses" (among other, more vulgar language) had just boarded a plane to England. He'd waited an hour or so, then woken the vampires, and they'd passed the rest of the wait playing in the yard until the Iscariot arrived.

But now, they were asleep. There was no reason to go speak with the troops today. Sir Hellsing hadn't requested a meeting. There wasn't anything he needed to buy, his clothes were clean and mended, his room already tidied by one of the household employees. So, he had taken the time to sit back, and leaf through some of the earliest journals and diaries relating to Alucard.

He missed his orphans. While the vampires could be slightly child-like. Scratch that. Alucard was the typical spoied teenager. While THAT VAMPIRE was much like a child, Alexander missed the interactions with a true youth, the ability to help shape and mold a child into a responsible, kind, and honest adult. And reading those oldest diaries, of Abraham's first children and how the vampires had responded, he'd realized that Alucard missed children, too.

Seras could take them or leave them, but Alucard had been on edge and excited from the time Alexander had mentioned visiting the orphanage until the first child had grabbed his fur. Alex's initial thought was that the vampire was considering eating the kids, and that was why it was so tensely focused on the upcoming interaction. But even after he'd made it clear that the children were not to be frightened, eaten, etc. the vampire had been just as excited. Annoyed and insulted, but excited.

Alexander's foray into the journals had indicated that the vampire frankly liked children, and not for dinner. Well, possibly for dinner, but there was a very clear delineation between "his" children and "edible" children. "His" children were doted upon, spoiled, and more. Abraham's surprise radiated off the page as he described the vampire coming home from a hunt, then immediately going to the nursery to feed and burp and soothe a fussy Beatrice. Victor's notes included several family gatherings, and how the vampire had spent the time with the children, and how very much he seemed to enjoy the interaction. Hellsing's children and grandchildren were "his" children, with a lesser umbrella still covering the children of Mina and Arthur as well.

Because Alexander considered the orphans "his", the vampire did the same. Putting down Victor's journal, describing the vampire's tussels with the Hellsing family children, Alexander picked up the phone and dialed up Wolfe.

"Ah, Heinkel. Anderson here. I have a proposition, but before I ask Hellsing, I wanted to see what you thought..."

x x x x x x x x

A short time later, Hellsing was stunned, but curious herself. Maids and servants were called up to clean and prepare a handful of rooms, and in Italy, Wolfe was considering the orphans as they ate supper.

Yes, a few of them could certainly benefit from Anderson's presence and guidance. A few of the high-energy ones might do well from the company of the vampires, too. And those two boys simply could not get along, separating them out would keep everyone happier. There were a few girls that she'd send once the boys were settled; Sir Hellsing would be an...interesting...role model for them.

x x x x x x

Alucard sat down, eyes shocked wide open, and a huge grin across his face, when Anderson announced that five of his boys would be coming to stay with them. The youngest was three, the oldest going on ten. After they were settled in, a few girls would be arriving, too.

Sir Hellsing was no more inclined than Integra to get pregnant and bear a child. She didn't mind kids in the slightest, having patience with bumps, sprains, and general noisiness (thanks to her vampires), but her mothering instinct left much to be desired and she passed babies on to waiting hands as quickly as possible. She was moderately pleased with the idea of having children around, but under Anderson's care, and might well choose an heir from among them.

The children got out of the orphanage, and into more of a family setting. He had hopes that a few of the troops might consider an adoption, and if not, Hellsing was a home, a house, not simply a glorified dormitory.

He got the children he'd missed, the grubby hands, finger paints, and constant questions. Seras got a chance at a sort of motherhood that her death and vampirism, then Integra's inability to have a child, had denied her.

And judging by the look on his vampire's face, Alucard had just gotten Christmas early. 


	30. Chapter 30 : House Rules

*Time to describe the meeting of Kids Vs. Vampires*

House Rules

The boys had arrived. They'd brought with them noise and bustle and joy, for while they missed their friends at the orphanage, they were in a real house with a real family (of sorts). And, of course, the dogs had been there to greet them.

There had been a small problem during the actual introduction. First, telling the children that the dogs were actually wolves, then reassuring them that they'd never harm them. He'd expected more terror, but since he was telling this to the boys as three of them used the vampires as impromptu seating, there wasn't exactly a lot of fear.

Then, he'd gone on to explain that there were two vampires living in the house. Thanks to the rash of sappy vampire movies in the last few decades, that also didn't inspire much in the way of terror, simply curiousity.

So, he'd asked the boys what other shapes a vampire could take. When someone said "wolf" the kids had immediately turned to the nonplussed vampires and insisted that they change shape. Seras had been a little hesitant, but with a grin, Alucard had morphed right under them, dumping the laughing and shrieking boys onto the floor with a grin of his own.

Seras had stood up on her paws then, upending the laughing child on her own back, and then launched her rather unsteady way over towards Alucard on her wings. He'd been sitting upright, leaning back on his hands, legs sprawled out gracelessly, and she'd transformed right on top of him and flattened him onto his back. This, of course, led to a wrestling match for the overexcited vampires. They'd been trying to behave so hard with the kids there. What they really wanted to do was tear about the estate, barking; their tails had been going so hard he'd been a bit worried Alucard's would fall off.

The boys piled in.

Alexander watched, bemused, as the boys and vampires tussled about the room in an impromptu wrestling match. And here, he'd been worried that the kids would be terrified and have to be coaxed into trusting the vampires. After their first introduction to the wolves, he realized he should have known better. And neither vampire was standing by the kids; with a child-smart wisdom, they'd remained seated and thus avoided any sort of intimidation.

When the boys and vampires had worked off their nervous energy in play, and the boys were leaning against the wolves' sides, panting for breath, it was time to introduce them to the less-fun aspects of Hellsing.

x x x x x x

Their tutor was a tall, balding man with a no-nonsense look about him and a perpetual frown. It had been very difficult finding someone willing to work as a teacher for so many children, in a military organization...and then be able to handle being around the vampires, too. He was very capable, and not actually anywhere near as gruff as he appeared.

But he terrified the youngest children, and the entire group remained clustered by the vampires. It took Alucard's cold nose pushing them forward to get the older students to introduce themselves to their new teacher.

They were also worried about being lost, as the estate was absolutely huge. Alucard and Seras had to reassure the kids that if they were truly lost and yelled, the vampires would hear them and find them. Alucard then pointed out that as wolves, they could always sniff them out...

And the tumble of children and wolves spent the rest of the evening playing hide-and-seek. Alex figured it was as good a way as any to learn the layout of the mansion.

He felt rather mean making Alucard leave the boy's alone after bedtime. The vampire had clearly intended to sprawl out across the foot of the youngest child's bed, and gave Alex the most beseeching look possible when the paladin called him away.

But it was time to lay down some rules, now that the kids were asleep.

For starters, no encouraging the kids to tear down the halls screaming like banshees. No pointing out which carpets would be the best for sliding down the stairs. No reassuring them that it was alright to slide down the bannisters, because the vampires would catch them if they fell.

And no showing the boys how to dump water on an unsuspecting Alex as he walked out from under the staircase balcony, either.  



	31. Chapter 31 : Sharpies

*Ah, the perils of sleeping around children. Not sure where this came from. But doesn't it sound EXACTLY like what a bunch of kids would do? Most of the chapters in all three stories have been pretty comedic lately, so if you laugh at this it might be worth checking out the others!*

Sharpies

A truly contented vampire slept like the dead. They were nearly impossible to wake up. Alex figured that was a good thing, since the first thing a vampire did when it was woken up during the day was attempt to bite whatever woke them up.

Great survival tactic for the average vampire. Not so great for a vampire in a house full of kids.

But Alucard was utterly and totally contented, and waking him up would take a LOT of effort. The kids had begged to let him sleep in their room, and Alucard's pleading eyes and slowly wagging tail had convinced him to okay it. When the vampire woke up at dawn, he'd move down to his coffin after all. That hadn't happened. And, while he'd probably fallen asleep as a wolf, the form currently draped over the bed was human. The children had been delighted to wake up and find him still sleeping there, and the hilarity of the arms dangling over one side of a child-sized bed and the legs flopped over the other hadn't escaped them, either.

Yes, it was a very good thing that vampires slept so very deeply.

And with a little luck, Alex thought, scrubbing away at Alucard's jaw, he'd have all the marker off the vampire's face before he woke up in the evening. 


	32. Chapter 32 : Fingerpaint

*Can't you just see it? As the opening chapters of Unpredictable indicated, plus his total panic at the lack of stimulation in his coffin in Awaken, he NEEDS to touch, feel, see, and experience. Vampires are deeply tactile. And so, introduce a new and tactile experience with a big visual component to a vampire, and THIS is what happens...*

Fingerpaints

Alex lingered outside the classroom door, listening to the lesson and occasionally peeking in with a grin on his face.

It was History time for the older students. The younger ones were doing Art, which meant fingerpaints. Fingerpaints were entirely new to Alucard, and with the vampire's mild but definite fascination with texture and touch and new experiences, he'd dropped his dignity and pose for a bit despite still being in his "human" form and in front of the tutor. The enormous, lanky figure, clad in his standard white shirt and black pants, was stretched out on his stomach between two tiny children, fingerpainting.

Alex really wasn't surprised that Alucard had claimed all the red and black for his painting. And fingerpainting or no, it was detailed and beautiful, a lovely visual snarl of teeth and eyes and blood. A very vampiric sort of painting indeed.

And on construction paper.

He'd have to hang it on the fridge later. 


	33. Chapter 33 : Wet

*Oh, c'mon. It's bad enough with just Alucard involved. Add Seras and Heinkel, and poor Alex is gonna be in major trouble. And it'll only get worse if the Head decides to contribute...*

Wet

Heinkel was just as devious, demented, and evil as Alucard. That was the only explanation.

Alex grumbled to himself as he selected another dry t-shirt, then took the clothes he HAD been wearing and added them to the pile waiting to be taken down to the laundry room and dried.

That was the only possible explanation. Really.

Why else would she have shipped a dozen bags of water balloons, plus a handful of filling spouts, to Alucard? And then to add insult to injury, she'd included a note encouraging him to share with the children. And included a handful of rubber waterballoon-sized slingshots, too.

He'd already confiscated four, and was about to toss the fifth one into his dresser as well. How many of those damn slingshots had she sent?

Tossing it in the drawer, he saw -or didn't see- what he'd expected to see. The drawer now contained ONE slingshot. And he knew exactly who to blame, too.

But before he confronted Alucard about this, he needed to make sure he had at least one dry shirt left.

x x x x x x

Outside, Alucard grinned up at his Master's room. Anderson had learned quickly about the balloons. Then he'd found the little spouts letting them fill the balloons quickly. The slingshots had been spotted not long after, for the littlest boys weren't skilled at hiding them quickly.

But Anderson still didn't know about the simply LOVELY set of water guns Heinkel had provided. An unintentional purr escaped Alucard at the thought. HIS included a backpack to hold more water. And Heinkel had thoughtfully taken time to reinforce the watergun; unlike the children's, his and Seras's guns had metal hoppers and plungers. He'd found he could get a tremendous amount of pressure worked up in it, and that it was really more of a small portable fire hose.

Anderson would learn about that soon, too. But Alucard could be patient. He'd wait until Alex thought he'd safely found all the slingshots and gotten them out of reach of the vampires. And hopefully, after the man was out of dry clothes. 


	34. Chapter 34 : Minotaur

*Ah, reviews. I had a Private Message concerning a "string" incident. And this was born of it. :)*

Minotaur

History lessons were always more fun when Alucard was involved. Seras was good for events of forty or so years ago, but Alucard was a font of knowledge for events 600 years ago. While he was rather isolated in Romania, he'd still been a regional leader, and knew the main events occurring in his area. Thanks to the sheer volume of books he'd read over the century, he knew vastly more than the tutor did in the area of history.

He was absolutely horrible at geography, though. If it didn't have a name when he learned it, it wasn't likely to have a name now. Alex still wasn't certain if the vampire had been joking when he'd helped one of the boys fill out a world map, and left a large portion of it blank, labeled "Here there be Dragons."

Still, when the boys were introduced to Greek Mythology, he was just as interested as the kids. After all, it involved jealous Gods, blood, death, lifelong curses, betrayal, and all the vicious pettiness of an afternoon soap opera. The beast loved drama and monsters and death, so from Odysseus to Aphrodite, he knew almost every detail of every classic myth. And could recite them in Latin or Greek, too.

So, when the boys watched Hercules, the tutor directed them straight to Alucard with their questions. At some point, he'd clearly told them the tale of the Minotaur.

That was the only explanation Alex could come up with for the yellow string stretched ALL OVER the mansion. 


	35. Chapter 35 : Ringleaders

*My cousins pulled this one on me when I was visiting. Instead of two sheets on a bed, it's ONE sheet, but folded over to look like two, and a blanket on top. You are tired, you crawl into bed...and your feet only go down a couple feet. I love my family. But it's clear where I got some of the ideas for vampiric "pranks" from...*

Ringleaders

It was good to have the boys around. Alucard had gotten far less clingy around Anderson, spending much of each evening with the boys. There was a limited amount of overlap between when the vampires rose and the boys had their bedtime, and Alucard wasted very little of it. Once the boys were asleep, then he'd seek out Alex's company on most nights. In the mornings and early afternoons, the boys had their lessons. Afternoons were for naps for the two youngest, the older three pursued hobbies. Alex was considering signing them up for some of the local sports teams, but hadn't yet gotten around to it.

Mostly because he knew how very overprotective the vampire was, and had terrible mental images of just how Alucard would react if one of the boys was injured during practice or a game... So for now, hobbies included painting, learning to play the piano, and assorted computer games and activities. One of them was learning karate with a holographic training program...and the oldest enjoyed visiting the soldiers. He'd been given gun safety lessons and just last week a child-sized low-caliber rifle, and had proven to be an excellent shot for a beginner.

Alucard had beamed with toothy pride as the boy put bullet after bullet into the target. The vampire had been worried about "his" child's safety around the adult troops, but his presence at the range and clear interest in the boy's well-being kept the troops very, very interested in the health of the child themselves.

The story of Alucard and Seras going berserk the first time Alex was injured on a hunt had everyone petrified of accidentally hurting one of the kids...

That was for the afternoons. And in the evening, after supper, the sun would set, and the vampires would join the children. They served as willing tutors, playmates, escorts when the boys wanted to wander about the estate grounds...and Ringleaders.

Yes, it was good to have the boys around. The vampires and Alex certainly smiled a lot more nowadays.

Such thoughts kept Alex busy as he fixed his short-sheeted bed, and wondered what other pranks that unholy group of terrors had left for him to find. 


	36. Chapter 36 : Bullies

*I was never nasty enough to consider being a bully, but once I learned not to feel "sorry" for a bully, I was much too tough to be a good target. I didn't refrain from insults, and I didn't get intimidated either. Of course, I also didn't have two pissed-off vampires backing me up, either... ;-) Rule of thumb for bullies; always make sure their parents know exactly what their little darlings did!*

Bullies

The boys had wanted to go to the park. Well not THE park, but any park, really. The estate lacked children's toys. No treehouse, no play fort, no jungle gym of any kind. There was simply no playground equipment, and he couldn't exactly let them go crawl all over the armored personnel carriers, either.

So he'd taken them to a local park. They'd get some fresh air and sunshine and play on suitable toys, and with a little luck, they might make friends with some of the local children. It was a fantastic afternoon, bright and sunny, just enough wind to get the blood moving without being chilly or triggering an earache. The boys were whooping and shouting, swinging from the jungle gym, sliding down slides (and scrambling up them again), bouncing on the suspended bridges, achieving fantastic heights in the swings.

And then some local children had shown up with their parents, nannies, sitters, and more. The five boys had melted into the mass of children with glee; apparently school had just let out. Teams were formed, ideas exchanged, and the energy level kicked up another notch. Seras had stayed home in her coffin, but Alucard had tagged along, wondering at what a "park" was and why the boys would be so interested.

The vampire had simply observed the different types of amusement and constructions present, then wedged himself under Anderson's bench, taking advantage of the limited shade present. As the bench was under a great spreading oak tree, the vampire had enough shadow to not be terribly uncomfortable, but if the boys hadn't been there, the vampire would have gone home immediately.

As it was, he simply sighed, soft red eyes watching the boys play.

x x x x x x x x x

It was nearly time to call the boys in to go home to supper, but they were having so much fun...and then more children showed up.

The youngest ones had been herded home by their families earlier, and the boys that showed up were older. They were teens or nearly teens, older than Alex would have expected to be at the park. When they arrived, the other children left, all but a pair of toddlers under the eyes of their nurse, playing in the corner where toys for the youngest were located.

Bullies. Alex could see that before they even began trying to torment his charges. He remained in the deep shade of the tree in the evening, grateful for his gray shirt and dark jeans, aware that the bullies might not even have noticed him. Alucard too remained still, waiting to see what would happen, but Alex didn't miss that the ruff of his neck had raised.

The ruffians went after one of the older boys, trying to intimidate him, crowding him with loud voices, and Alex was pleased to see that his boy didn't back down. He was even more pleased to see that he yelled back, although the language wasn't what he'd have liked to hear. The other four children immediately came over; five of the orphans to the four bullies, but the bullies all larger and older.

The leader shoved his child, and in a flash, Alucard was at their side. No growling, just...staring, eyes blazing. Out of the corner of his eye, Alex saw a white form flash through the dark as Seras cleared the fence. She moved quietly to stand behind the bullies, unnoticed.

Alonzo ignored the wolf as he advanced on the bully himself, refusing to be intimidated. Alex stood quietly, observing the placement of the wolves and the entrance, then unobtrusively moved to stand between the bullies and their exit route. Alonzo was pushed again, and he roughly shoved the bully back, forcing the taller boy to stumble. The bully pulled back his arm to punch...

And Alucard GROWLED. Low, frightening, mane erect, he was clearly ready to bite one of the boys if they even touched one of "his" kids. Backing away, the boys turned to leave, and found another wolf behind them, also growling. Their little game of tormenting and hurting smaller children had escalated into five kids too tough to intimidate and clearly working as a team, and two very, very large and protective dogs.

Trying to regain what little pride they had left, the bullies turned to swagger towards the gate. Their poise was broken slightly when Alucard huffed, making them jump and stagger a bit, and then broken entirely when they realized that a very large, unsmiling man stood in the exit.

"I think ye have an apology to make to those boys for taking the fun out of their evening. And then we'll be speaking to your parents."

x x x x x x x x

Apologies stammered out, the bullies fled the park, thinking to outrun the man and hide, knowing the reactions of their parents to their activities that evening. Alex simply set the wolves to track them to their homes while he brought the boys back to the manor and got them set up for supper. The wolves joined them, changing into human form and bantering with Alex and the children about the events at the park, clearly amused.

x x x x x x x x

Amused did not describe the reactions of the parents when told what their little darlings had been up to. Alucard and Seras had come along as well, looking "human" and with three adults able to identify the miscreants, the children had confessed.

"Wait, those two weren't there!" was an indignant response by one of the children, trying to claim his innocence, cementing his guilt instead. All three families were notified of their children's behavior. They were also notified that they had nearly received a hefty hospital bill, for their boys attacked the orphans (a phrase Alex was careful to stress) with the orphans' pet dogs nearby. And being good dogs, they would defend their children, and Hellsing would not be responsible for any injuries.

"Hellsing" had an even greater effect on the parents.

x x x x x x

Alucard and Seras reported to him as they walked away that they could hear the goings-on inside the homes...

It was a much subdued pair of boys that showed up at the park later in the month, under the watchful eyes of their parents. When the parents of the boys were identified, they found themselves beset by angry parents and nurses, complaining about the past behavior of their children!

Anderson expected the other two bullies were now likely banned from the park. He simply leaned back in his bench, sipping his coffee, and watching his own children play. They'd formed friendships with the other children after all, and he'd become the default coach and referee for the park as they booted a soccer ball about the field or played kickball.

It was a wonderful way to start each evening. A glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eyes showed him that the vampires were awake and had joined him, tongues hanging out and eyes happy as they watched their children. Alucard had been nowhere near as fierce as Alex had expected as the boys played, and he'd learned to trust the vampire even more. Which was all to the good with recent developments.

"It's been a good month. The boys are settled, things are running smoothly." Seras looked up at him, Alucard remaining focused on his kids. Alex grinned to himself, anticipating their reactions...

"The girls will be here tomorrow."

The reactions were all that he hoped for.


	37. Chapter 37 : Bad Dog

*This sprouted from a private message. Alex is no Cesar Milan (which, since I disagree with most of Milan's techniques, is a good thing) but darned if he isn't going to discipline those dogs... Thanks again for all the reviews, even on the oldest chapters or the completed stories! If you reply while logged in, I do try to respond. :)*

BAD DOG.

The parents were wide-eyed when the enormous, burly man erupted out from under the oak tree, shouting angrily. But his anger was clearly directed at the two equally-enormous dogs, crouched miserably beside a sobbing child.

They'd played too rough, been careless, and sent a child tumbling. And not one of the orphans, either, but an unrelated child. And the tall man clearly was furious about this, shouting at the dogs for being so careless just because it wasn't one of "their" kids. As far as he was concerned, they'd never ever have been so clumsy with their own! And then he continued on, threatening to send them both home right now, then leave them in the basement for the night.

Dogs shouldn't know what was being said. The watchers could understand the dogs being submissive and frightened by the tirade, but there was an uncanny intelligence behind those eyes and the tails that sagged lower and lower. The white one began to whine at the threat to be sent home, although the black one looked barely abashed.

Until the threat to make him stay in the basement all night. Those odd red eyes widened in shock, and a choked whine was heard.

The tirade finally wound down, and the two dogs nuzzled worriedly and clearly apologetically at the downed child. Within moments, a worried parent was rushing over from the soccer fields and his other children to check on the child injured on the playground. The huge, burly man apologized to the father, and then produced bandages and wipes from his pocket.

It was surprising to see the giant of a man so tender with a child, but his own five were gathered around him now, and their "Father Anderson" helped explain things. A priest?

He returned to his seat on the bench, two very abashed dogs with him. Before long, his own boys were at his side, begging him to let the dogs play again. The pleading look the beasts gave him were almost human.

The dogs returned to play with the children, with a pronounced care and delicate touch. They acted as though the kids were made of the thinnest, most delicate glass.

Uncanny, how intelligent those creatures were. 


	38. Chapter 38 : Screamers

*This mental image was triggered by a private message/review. Ah yes, the bane of the internet...*

Screamers

The piercing shriek caused Alex to drop everything in his hands and run to find the source. The eggs would be broken, but he'd clean up the mess in the kitchen later. That sort of volume had to come from a vampire, and if something could frighten one of THEM, he needed to be there, immediately!

He raced through the cloud of papers, falling into the study. It was evening, this was where everyone should be, finishing homework and studying with vampiric "help." He'd braced himself for bloodshed, terror, and more, and burst through the papers with bayonets drawn.

He found chaos.

The orphans were rolling about, howling with laughter, although one of the girls did look ever-so-slightly guilty. A smashed, slightly smoking, acrid-smelling pile of electronic remains told him that SOMETHING had experienced vampiric ire, and recently. Seras was literally howling with laughter, in her wolf form, but far too amused to change out of it.

Alucard was in the corner, hissing and snarling at nothing.

x x x x x x

The proud creature had buried his face in Alex's neck, curled up in his lap, shaking. Alex wasn't certain if it was fury or the last remnants of fear, but the vampire wasn't going to tell him a damn thing.

One of the girls had brought him a second device, like the one Alucard had destroyed, to show him what had happened. The vampire wouldn't even look at it. But she turned it on, and immediately a globe floated in the air above it.

"We were doing our homework and looking up countries. I was looking up Canada." She reached out towards the glowing, spinning Earth, and touched Canada on the hologram. Immediately, it zoomed into that country, a satellite image with mountains, immense forests and grasslands, and even the very largest cities visible. She tapped Toronto, and a visitor's guide to Toronto appeared next to the globe. "We had to describe the most important features of that country, and then give our opinion of Canada." She looked utterly innocent.

"And?" With a nod towards the silently seething and shaking vampire, Alex indicated that her cooperation wasn't going to get her out of trouble, but she'd better continue to cooperate.

"And..." guilt struck her face "There's one city where if you look at it, it doesn't show you the city." She paused, reluctant to go further.

"And?"

"We showed it to Alucard."

"And? What does it show instead of the city?" He was getting curious himself.

She paused, but he could see the glint of orneriness in her eyes. She was still up to no good. So a warning. "You're in trouble already, don't make it worse."

A sigh and a pout. "It's nothing bad. Here, I'll show you, but don't be frightened." With that, she reached into the center of Canada, home to thin soil, lots of rock, and, as far as Alex knew, nothing even remotely interested. She paused, though, then turned the volume up. Her hand then continued to move towards Canada, touching that entirely innocuous region.

A screaming orange face leaped towards Alex, shrieking. Even prepared, Alex jerked back in his chair, and Alucard spun, fist out, and smashed the electronic tutor.

Alex leaned back again, sighing and petting his monster.

"Alright, kids. Do not EVER frighten Alucard like that again. Or in any similar way. He wouldn't injure you on purpose, but it can still happen." How many of the tutors were left? Oh... "And that still leaves one electronic tutor, so you're going to have to share to finish your geography assignments." With that, he stood up to leave, carrying the vampire out with him.

He settled the vampire into a chair and gave him a blood packet, then thought better of it. Pulling a bayonet back out, he sliced his hand and fed Alucard a bit. The monster perked up considerably at the treat, whining and grumbling when the wound healed after just a few moments.

Alex wasn't about to feed him anymore. The damn vampire hadn't batted at eye at a million worse things, and even though Alucard had been undeniably startled, Alex suspected most of it was a ploy to get fresh blood.

Then again, when the children reported to him the next afternoon that every electronic tutoring tool was smashed, torn, or missing, he wasn't entirely sure! 


	39. Chapter 39 : Served cold

*Vampires can hold a grudge a long, long, long time... Thanks everyone for the reviews on all the stories tonight!*

Served Cold

Alucard was still seething over the Canada incident a week later. Alex and Seras thought it incredibly funny, especially as it was essentially the vampire getting a taste of his own medicine.

But Alucard had been so utterly relaxed and happy that it had truly startled him, and he had a hard time calming down when his emotions were high. Vampires were far more...emotional...than humans. Alex had seen that when Alucard was grieving for Integra, and again when the two vampires had overreacted so badly on the first hunt. Blood lust on a hunt was obvious, and curiousity was the vampire's bane. So instead of simply startled, the vampire had actually (briefly) been terrified. And then he'd been unable to calm down, kept emotionally unsteady by the laughter of the children, then Alex's own panicky arrival and Sera's blatant amusement.

He had not been so embarrassed, upset, humiliated, and furious in many, many years. And more than half a millenia of lessons had yet to include one on how to take a joke gracefully. And so, he spent his time plotting.

It was 4 am on a wet, cold, windy, stormy night when the fire alarms went off. The children dutifully trooped out, shivering in the miserable weather while Alex and the vampires checked the rooms with the signalling alarms for a fire. No fire was found, and a set of thoroughly chilled and sleepy children marched back in to their beds.

Or they tried. The door was jammed tightly shut on every room. Alex was called back down by the children, and managed to force the doors open, though the frames would need some work.

The lightbulbs in each room had burned out, leaving Alex to fetch a few flashlights for the children. He finally tracked down two, having discovered that they were not present in the halls in their normal spots. HE could see in the dark just fine, but the children were severely hampered.

The children then tried to change into warm, dry pajamas, only to find that their clothes had been switched about. The tallest children found the clothes of the smallest in their drawers, and vice versa. The boys found nightgowns, the girls found boy's underwear, and it was a complete mess as everyone tried, sleepy and cold, to find the correct clothing.

At this point, Alex realized that while he and Seras might have been checking the rooms for a fire, Alucard had been very busy elsewhere.

The children crawled back into their beds, to find at least one pillow, sheet, or blanket missing on each bed. The doors to the linen closets were equally solidly jammed.

It was a much-chastised, exhausted, chilled, and grumpy set of children that finally found their beds, and an irritated Anderson that went off to find that damned miscreant and shout at him.

x x x x x x

Alucard indignantly and self-righteously pointed out that the children had never apologized, and they'd had an entire week to do so. He clearly felt not the slightest remorse for his actions.

Alex gave up. He needed sleep, not children and childish vampires. He'd deal with this in the morning.

And if that damned vampire had touched HIS bed, Alex intended to recruit Seras for his own retaliation. 


	40. Chapter 40 : Predators

*I had this set in Finland originally. For some reason, it was entirely stuck in my head that FINLAND had the fjords. Well, it's Norway. Finally fixed it... I had to do a little timeline consideration. We'll figure that the "visiting troops" showed up a few years after the orphans. If there's an anachronism, well, hey, it's fiction :D Point it out, I'll try and edit it. I also rearranged a few chapters into a more chronological order, although the "visiting soldiers" ones should be the most recent. Reviews are loved! I got a few recent ones on "Awaken" and it made my day. :)*

Predators

Oh, Hell.

The soldiers that had come to Hellsing to train had seen the vampires and Alex wrestle about, and stories were still going around about the idiots that had gotten in the basement, attempted to grope Seras or the Head of Hellsing, or otherwise inspired some vampiric wrath.

But the soldiers had also seen the vampires curled up asleep with Alex, serving as backrests as he read. Teenagers had come by to visit, with the vampires delighted to see them and friendly, social, and entirely unmonstrous in their actions. Even in training, there had been an element of play as the vampires helped teach the various troops how to identify and hunt supernatural creatures.

And so, they'd gone on their first hunt. A very large number of vampires had suddenly shown in Norway. They were very new, and very weak, almost all of them still a "child" and having produced more child vampires themselves. A single vampire was likely the cause of this, but the sheer number of sudden victims implied that it was deliberate.

An undead Lord (the more powerful offspring had been female, indicating a male vampire) was trying to carve out his own little kingdom in the rough hills and fjords of Norway, and between 30 and 50 suspected vampires and over a hundred ghouls had been reported.

And so, Hellsing had gathered its own small number of remaining, undeployed, experienced troops, and most of the squads of troops that were training with them. With so many of the Hellsing troops gone to train the agencies in Brazil, Australian, Japan, and elsewhere, there simply weren't enough to mop up all the scattering vampires and ghouls, especially in such rough territory.

x x x x x x

It had all gone as planned. The newest men had been dropped on top of the hills, well-armed, with helicopters and more armed soldiers helping to cordone off several square miles of territory. The remaining humans had mostly been removed by the Finnish government earlier in the day, but the handful of houses still contained people. Hellsing people, veterans with vampire-hunting guns and weapons.

It was expected that the troops on the ridges, all of them new, would be able to fire down on and kill vampires and ghouls trying to flee and hide. The men in the houses, all very experienced, would serve as the initial bait. Hungry vampires would head to the homes first, seeking any remaining humans. And being so very new, and so very weak, they were likely to be foolish and ruled by their hunger. The Hellsing troops would shoot them.

And Alex, Seras, and Alucard would be hunting down in the valleys. They'd come in behind the vampires as the houses were attacked, then go through the hills and valleys, removing any that tried to escape. The soldiers-in-training would be shooting as vampires were flushed into sight by the Hellsing vampires or Alex.

And it had gone well.

Shortly after sunset, gunfire and shouts broke out at the houses, and horrific snarls and roars as Alucard and Seras tore into their prey. The ghouls continued to attack the houses, mindlessly after meat, only to be mowed down by Hellsing troops, and the remaining vampires fled.

There were closer to fifty than thirty vampires, and as they'd been following the ghouls, only a few had been destroyed. That meant wonderful hunting for the Hellsing vampires. As they raced through the pines and rocks, Alex went to check on the soldiers on the hills.

And that was when things went very, very badly.

x x x x x

The floodlights would quickly locate the movement of a vampire, and pin it under the bright glare of the lights. The motion detectors, unlike a human, were quick enough to follow the rapid movements of a weaker, slower vampire, and the men had gotten to see real vampires. Real vampires, with bloody maws, furious and hissing at the bright light, and attacking. Motion-tracking guns helped, but the humans needed to be able to shoot and fire as vampires were quite capable of dodging the predictable movements of the guns.

And some of the men had frozen, panicking. However, as Alex travelled from hilltop to hilltop in clouds of papers, he found that most of the men were able to act on their training and fire, and the vampire mop-up operation was going well. Moving about like this was draining, and at the fourth and final hill, he paused to observe and "catch his breath."

And then things went from beyond a few frozen men to truly bad.

Seras showed up, soaked in blood, grinning like a fiend, eyes blazing, lunging after the vampires. The prey wasn't even trying to attack the men, simply fleeing up and over the hill from the laughing predator ripping them up and right behind them. The speed of the prey vampires and their mindless fleeing panic sent them through the men before anyone could prepare, leaping over and through the ranks, Seras right behind them.

And she exuded menace, bloodlust, and danger, and looked so different from the smiling, friendly, playful vampire they knew.

Panicking, the men fired at her, and she turned, squalling in pain and anger at the assault. And in a blink, the men too were targets, the fleeing handful of vampires forgotten as she went to destroy what had dared hurt her.

Her furious squall brought Alucard, and the sight of the bulletholes in Seras caused him to snap, roaring and disappearing in a flash after the men.

If Alex had been on any other hillside, there would have been no single soldier left alive.

x x x x

Seras stared in shock at the bayonette piercing her arm, fury fading as she stared at Alex, sense coming back into her eyes. Alucard was a pincushion, filled with bayonets, and had responded by attacking Alex. He had leapt to attack Anderson, freezing mid-strike as the bond slammed into him, warning him of the foolishness of his actions.

The men were dropping weapons, turning to flee, as Alex soothed the vampires.

Seras and Alucard continued on to seek out and destroy the remaining vampires, taking out their anger and confusion on the weaker prey. Alex evacuated all the troops off the hills, calling in the cordon of helicopters to airlift the men away early. Seras and Alucard needed the time hunting escaping vampires; after all, the area was sparsely populated.

Fewer people were going to die by risking a few escaping vampires for a bit, than if the humans stayed in the hills with angry, betrayed, and predatory vampires. Seras and Alucard wouldn't be coming home until they destroyed every last vampire, and if a few nearby civilians died from the fleeing vampires, there was nothing Alex could do.

x x x x x x

The men in the copter with Anderson had been victims of Sera's and Alucard's aborted retaliation. They were shaking, shocked, wide-eyed and coated with sweat. Anderson spent the trip back calling in to the medics, warning them that there were traumatized troops coming, giving names, and getting sedatives and such ready for their arrival.

The men were settled by morning, either regaining calm primarily on their own or due to the assistance of a hefty amount of medication, sleeping a drugged sleep in the infirmary or their own beds. Alucard and Seras made it back in shortly after dawn, still ruffled and angry, but satisfied at the sheer amount of carnage they had engaged in when hunting down every last vampire and ghoul. He had no doubt his vampires had been...excessive...but they'd needed it. The helicopter pilot that had brought them back was a Hellsing veteran, tough and seasoned, and he'd left the helicopter as soon as possible in search of alcohol, movements stiff and clearly shaken by his glaring, bloody cargo.

The vampires would need speaking to after a long sleep in their coffins, and Alex only hoped they settled before then. Their instinctive response to the attack by supposed allies, the betrayal, was entirely understandable, but if Alex hadn't been there, each of those men would be dead.

x x x x x

The only person involved unable to spend the day asleep was Alex, still horrified at what had nearly occurred. 


	41. Chapter 41 : Cats

*Lots of people wanted a cat story. I can't see Cats and Alucard being a good combo, at all. But I am the proud owner/servant of a 15 pound cat (about 7 kilos) that has done things very like the tomcat in this story. While she's mellowed substantially, for a long time, she considered dogs to be either Targets she could access, Targets Mommy would not let her attack, or Family. My dogs are safe. Any other dog...watch out. The scene at the bottom is very, very similar to her successful luring and attack on a golden retrieve mix long, long ago...*

Cats

A kitten. One of the girls wanted a kitten.

Alexander seriously considered this for a bit. Most kids did want kittens. And when she went off to University, it wasn't like the cat couldn't stay here with the other kids. He wasn't entirely sure about the entire kitten aspect. Kittens meant vet visits, shots, spaying or neutering, and a lot of destroyed furniture and other problems. That's undoubtedly why kittens and puppies were so cute.

If they weren't, they'd never make it to be adults.

But a cat. Yeah, he could handle a cat. There'd been a bit on the news last week about the hundreds of cats the local shelter euthanized every week. And if he remembered right, he could get a cat that had already been to the vet, too. No setting appointments, no hauling a screaming, panicking animal with five pointy ends about in a car, no worries about stitches or going into heat, and past the foolish-kitten stage, too.

He went and asked Alice, who point-blank told him to keep the animal out of her office. And then he went to let the kids know that they'd be getting a cat the next afternoon.

x x x x x x x

They had a hunt that night. No one thought to mention the cat to Alucard.

x x x x x x x

The next day, Anderson and four of the children were at the local shelter, looking for a cat.

Big mistake.

About an hour later, Alex had found that he needed to purchase two cat carriers, two litter boxes, a bag of cat food, and of course the kids wanted fifty different toys for each cat. They left the store loaded down with cat supplies and a much more dubious Anderson, then returned to the shelter to collect their cats.

One was a tomcat, who had immediately claimed one of the girls. He was grizzled and beat up, body a mass of scars, part of an ear missing, a true old warrior. He was also BIG, and it wasn't fat, either. The cat was easily 8 or 10 kilos, and looked like he snacked on dogs as a hobby. However, he'd been neutered by the shelter and despite the old damage he was a healthy fellow.

Alex could respect a cat like that, even if he was currently getting his tummy rubbed by one of the girls and getting passed about like a stuffed animal. And apparently enjoying it.

The other cat was more of what he thought of as a typical cat. Female and calico, with short sleek fur and much smaller than the male. And unlike his blase acceptance of the change in circumstances, she was in panic mode. Sweet and cuddly in the shelter, she'd licked chins, played with shoelaces, and charmed all of them.

In the carrier in the vehicle, it was another story entirely. That sleek fur was spiked, the sweet face was full of teeth, and the cute little meows were ungodly shrieks and yowls far too loud for such a tiny body to produce. The kids felt sorry for her but also found it far too funny. Alex just tried to block out the escalating noise and focus on driving.

x x x x x x x

Once in the mansion, the cats were settled into a room in the same hallway as the children. The scratching posts and climbing trees were set up (Alex had no idea that cats needed multilevel carpet-covered furniture with bells, feathers, and tunnels, but apparently they did), food dishes filled, fresh water set out, and litter boxes prepared. The calico eventually came out from under the bookshelves. The tomcat was far too busy being the center of attention to worry about where he was.

Alex shut the door on the kids and the cats with a relieved sigh. They were currently arguing about names. He had suggested King Kong for the tomcat and it looked like it just might stick. He had refrained from offering his own suggestions for the female cat; they were accurate but not entirely appropriate for young ears.

x x x x x x x

An hour later, he was fishing the female cat down out of the rafters in the storage room. One of the kids had left the door open, she'd gotten into the hallway, and panicked. The shouting children chasing her hadn't helped any. The cat had finally ended up in the rafters in one of the little storage rooms. Fortunately, there was no access to the rest of the attic area from that room, just the tail ends of a pair of rafters. Unfortunately, she didn't regard him as a source of rescue.

At least he was a regenerator.

x x x x x x x

It was with a state of stupefied exhaustion that he finally got the cat peeled off his arm and returned to the cat room, then found a chair to sit in. He'd had no idea what this day would entail when he loaded up the four kids to go get some cats. That poor tomcat had been wearing a doll dress the last time he'd seen it, and he still hadn't tracked down all the screwdrivers and hammers from putting together the cat furniture.

With a groan, he leaned back in his chair, feet up. It really wouldn't have been that difficult of a day if he hadn't been out so late (or early) on a hunt the night before. He had only been in bed a few hours before waking to take the kids to the shelter, and the hunt itself had involved way too much hiking. On the other hand, he now knew that Bigfoot really existed. It was black, hairy, walked on two legs, and smelled really bad, yes. It was also a drunken, filthy, bad-tempered troll, but hey, he had caught it on film and THIS version wasn't blurry. But he was tired.

x x x x x x

And he woke up to find his own "pet" in his lap. Alucard wasn't upset, but the warm lap and sleeping Alex had apparently been tempting. After the long hunt the previous night and bloodshed at the end, the vampire was calm, relaxed, and purring in his lap. Alex woke in time to see the vampire yawn hugely, then the eyes popped open in shock...and started to burn a little red.

Accusing red eyes bore into him as the vampire sniffed a bit. "You got a cat." Pause. "Cats." Growling, the vampire left immediately, leaving Seras and Alex to stare at him in puzzlement. Seras promptly claimed the lap.

x x x x x x x

CATS. He did not like cats. They snuck about, they shed fur everywhere, their litter boxes reeked when they could be convinced to use them. They were predators, but lacked the courage of a predator and could be startled into fleeing by the most harmless of things. They were sly, and he truly hated how they WHINED when they wanted something. He'd met a few alleycats he could tolerate and hadn't eaten, but only a few in over five centuries of hating cats. Dogs were loyal, dogs served a purpose, but any cat could be replaced by a mousetrap. He hated them.

But at least they could be amusing.

It took only a few minutes to follow the reek of the cats to their room, and with a grin he shifted to his four-footed Hellhound form and pushed through the door. The kids were at dinner, and he was sure they hadn't had the cats long enough to miss them.

A shocked pause as he took in the sheer amount of STUFF now present in the room. Oh, no. No, no, no... The kids WOULD miss these cats. An evil grin...yes, he wouldn't hurt the cats, but the cats would be missing for a bit. After all, what dog wouldn't want to chase them?

Cat number one was a little thing and surprisingly fast. He'd intended to chase her out the door, but after a few laps of the room, she'd somehow made it UNDER him, and was now hunched on the top of the carpeted...thing...and hissing at him. Tongue lolling, he looked up at her, entirely content with the proceedings so far.

Time for cat two. He could smell it, but he just couldn't SEE it. Ah, it must be in that carpeted barrel-thing half-way up the carpeted...thing. He thrust his head in suddenly, planning to bark and have a panicking cat shoot out the other end.

x x x x x x

Alex was relaxing with Seras when he heard the vampire begin to bother the cats. Furious, he moved Seras aside and stood to storm after Alucard, running to the room. The furious yowls and terrified howls of the cat had turned into a steady frightened growl, which was reassurring, but as he reached to turn the doorknob, a new sound began.

A very canine sound, expressing shock and pain.

Alex opened the door to see Alucard, clearly startled and not thinking, ricocheting about the room. On the hellhound's head was a large, spikey grey rug, and four sets of sharp claws had it well anchored. The cat was biting at Alucard's muzzle, and...its ears were forward. The tail was lashing, but not puffy at all.

This was not a frightened cat. This was an angry cat. And it was pulling out large tufts of shaggy black fur with a sort of infuriated yet studious concentration. With a frantic twist, Alucard managed to fling the cat off, then shot out the door himself. Alex slammed the door just in time to watch the cat slide into it, then spit at the door, angry that his prey had escaped.

Alex grinned.

He could really grow to like that cat. 


	42. Chapter 42 : Musings

*Plot bunny. Hydra isn't unfolding in my head as it should, I'm wating to see how the scene develops. So this will pass a bit of time. Just a random bit of introspection! Yes, it references a few things I haven't written down yet but that will be showing soon in Renewal*

Musings

Alucard sat in his chair, thinking about recent events.

He'd live a very long life, and at times, he'd found it beneficial to pause and order his thoughts and mind, rather than simply existing from moment to moment. It was easier to simply exist, to let himself take a position of little responsibility and simply let things happen.

But he'd never been content with that.

Before he'd been captured and bound by Abraham, he'd been responsible for a few children and his Romani, his lands. He'd let most of that responsibility drift off over the centuries, but still maintained his small corner of land. A few villages, a few dozen miles of road, some forests. It gave him a safe, secure place to hunt in and exist in, humans to help him stay isolated and alone. Had he not begun to go insane, he'd probably still be there, in his own little corner of the world.

Or not. Even that little corner of the world had changed. When he and his family had gone back to visit Romania and his former lands, things had changed all out of recognition. Some of the old stone buildings he recognized, but dirt tracks were graveled, gravel roads were paved, and highways and cars meant that even those isolated villages he'd ruled were at most a half-hour away from larger towns and cities. The trees remained, but he had heard not a single wolf howl when he visited. No bear claws had torn the trees, no hunters and woodsmen trapped and chopped in the forests. It had been beautiful, but not what he had left behind so long ago.

He'd enjoyed England and Abraham, though. After so long as a leader, it had been nice to be a simple follower. He'd made sure, time and again, that Abraham was a leader able to lead HIM, someone HE wanted to follow willingly. And Abraham had never disappointed him. A smile curved the pale lips as Alucard remembered happy times of tussling with John and Paul, of playing "horse" with Rachel and jumping low fences as a wolf with her on his back. Beatrice, especially...so many fond memories of her. As amazing as Abraham in her own way, and as much his savior as her father had been.

Alucard spent time on those precious memories, reviving special moments. Births, joy, laughter, love. Each one pulled up, cataloged in his mind, time spent savoring what he'd had.

Other memories were not so pleasant. There was loss, pain, bitter and soul-destroying loneliness. There was pain from Abraham, accidental and deliberate punishments. There was coldness, isolation, fear. Each was examined, then filed away. He'd learned from those experiences, learned to treasure joy, no matter how fleeting.

Looking back at his own actions, his own manipulations, he was surprised at how...shallow...his thoughts had been. His life, while rich, had been very limited. There was an entire world outside the estate, a long, long existence to prepare for, and yet he'd lived almost frivolously on a night-to-night basis.

As if he was much different now, really.

Wars, excellent opponents, though they always disappointed him by dying. Creatures like the hydra. The rings he'd gotten while hunting that very elusive rock-dwelling monster. Powerful vampires, only a few deeply powerful. And sometimes a Hellsing, when he'd pushed too hard or found a few too many loopholes. Even Walter...he'd been an excellent opponent, a sparring partner in his youth and willing to match wits when older.

Loss again. His child, dead, the troops he'd ignored forcing him back, his Master forbidding him from defending himself. Betrayal, loss, fury...and then 20 sad, resigned, bitterly lonely years.

Integra. He dwelt fondly on her arrival, the shock and joy that the spirited young woman had evoked in him. Still a child then, really, but refusing to be intimidated. She had seemed so delicious, so delectable, but had a will of iron and even with her youth, she'd been so clearly a leader that to his shock he'd willingly followed and obeyed that mere child.

Oh, how happy his time with her had been. He had little responsibility. No Hellsing children were about needing protection. The troops were sufficient and trained without his influece. Integra did not expose herself to foolish risks. A few good battles during her leadership-including with Alex, and his grin widened at that-but still, he'd been merrily without responsibility.

And it had bothered him, he'd realized how shallow his life was. Walter helped guide Integra, and Alucard tried to protect her, but he had little to do, so little. Without responsibilities and requirements beyond killing the occasional monster, he'd found "himself" fading away again. And then he'd found Seras.

Having a child again, after so long, a vampire dependent on him for guidance and protection, it changed things. He'd pulled himself back from the vague existence he'd been content with for so long, slowly teaching her vampiric skills, beginning to become more "himself" again.

And now there was Alex. A slow blink, and the smile softened, joyful. Alex depended on him, gave him orders, treated him as a trusted second-in-command. While he was content alone in the dark of his basement, if he showed up bored near his Master, Alex would challenge him. Perhaps with simply physically sparring, perhaps with a mental debate-oh, how sharp that man was!-and perhaps with work to do. Alucard was expected to train with Hellsing troops and any other troops that would arrive, to know how to use the weapons as well as the men did even if it was unlikely he'd ever want to use one, and to assist with the everyday running of the troops side of Hellsing.

His little child, now a full vampire in her own right, led and trained the men. She was valued, wanted, and Alucard felt an immense pride and joy that he'd raised such a powerful, successful offspring. No worries that she'd become reclusive, that she would "fade" mentally, much less go insane. No, she had responsibilities that she filled most admirably, and she would never be one to withdraw and simply let the world go on without her. A few memories cropped up in his head of his child, from great roaring rows he'd had with her (picked mostly to get her response) to quiet and gentle times

The vampire blinked, pulling himself back into the here-and-now. Looking over the long tapestry of his existence, he was...pleased. He felt he had become more, far more, than he had started with. Thanks to his support, the Hellsing institute had begun, and the Hellsing lineage had taken root. He had protected many humans, and the threat of death from him had pushed vampires into a more peaceful existence.

There were likely MORE vampires now than there had been when he arrived in England. But they were behaving, safer than if a few of their members were randomly murdering, with secure existences. His people, most of them his own descendants, were prospering. HE was prospering, with an occupation that kept him busy and productive, a master that kept him challenged. His latest child was a full vampire, and doing very well indeed. His master was healthy, sound, and likely to last for many, many centuries to come. And should Alex fail, he had Seras to fall back on while he searched out a new master.

Yes.

With a sip of the nearly-forgotten blood from his glass, the vampire grinned. The pointed teeth, shining red with blood, would have terrified a mortal. Unless and until that mortal realized how soft and satisfied that smile was.

Truly content, Alucard lounged in his chair, relaxing and reminiscing until the sun rose. 


	43. Chapter 43 : Petting Zoo

*Chickens will sleep in your arms quite happily. A pet chicken is a social, friendly bird that considers being hauled about, petted, and scratched to be the highlights of its life. And a contented chicken will stretch its neck to an unbelievable length and flop it over your arm, too. A "rose comb" on a rooster is not a single red comb but more of a large mass...rather like a certain vampire's hat...*

Petting Zoo

They'd taken the kids on a trip to a hobby farm, leaving the vampires behind. It was a bright, sunny morning and neither vampire would have been happy about leaving the snug, safe coffins and dark rooms of the basements. The kids were happy about it though, shrieking and laughing, petting the horses and goats, riding ponies, and carrying about the livestock.

One of them had a beautiful rooster. It was a gorgeous black-and-white bird with a huge red comb that the farm's owner called a "rose" comb. The bird had been strutting about proudly on its own but was clearly quite content to be carried about by the children as well.

And then one of the kids had scratched its neck, ruffling the feathers under the friendly direction of the farmer. And the rooster had stretched out its neck to an unbelievable length, eyes half-closed as it thoroughly enjoyed its scratch.

The black-and-white bird with its red comb, combined with the limp body in the kid's arms, then finished off with the elongated neck and sleepy eyes under the effect of the attention it was receiving from the child... Add to that the independent and proud strut as it surveyed its farmyard...

Alexander could not help laughing. But he couldn't really explain to the farmer how that rooster looked EXACTLY like his own vampire, either. 


	44. Chapter 44 : Socialization

*So, who WOULD the vampires socialize with? And would Seras take after her maker's rather predatory approach to the opposite-sex guests? How would Alex handle a houseful of guests? I had fun writing this, hope everyone enjoys!*

Socialization

Not every Lord on the Round Table was a power-seeking backstabbing bastard. After their abortive attempt to take control of Anderson and the vampires, they'd dramatically reduced their attempts to play politics with Hellsing. The subsequent requirement, that at least one member accompany future hunts, kept any future attempts to cause problems at bay.

It was well worth the hassle of hauling the Lord or Lady along in the personnel carriers. Sir Hellsing had reported with relief that her requests for additional funding for the occasional expensive repair was simply paid, and deaths by supernatural means had remained very low once the three hunters had resumed their work.

And there were a few perks, too. Alucard was high-born, and even after all the centuries, he retained a noble's snobbery towards the lower classes. Being a vampire hadn't helped that situation in the slightest. Seras had long since lost her awe of titles, but her social skills needed polishing to fit in with the upper classes. Alexander enjoyed having someone to chat with that wasn't technically his boss or that could cause problems in the ranks from beliefs of favoritism. And so, on the long trips out and back from a hunt, a few of the nobles turned out to be good company. Interesting, educated, witty, and friendly.

And so, after some discussion, Anderson and Seras had decided to host a small gathering of the handful of Lords and Ladies that had proven themselves to be welcome visitors and guests. Alucard wasn't against such a gathering, but wasn't overly enthusiastic, either. He simply wasn't human enough any more to warrant such a reaction. Seras positively bounced, and Alex looked forward to an engaging evening where he wasn't the only one not drinking blood.

x x x x x x x

It went far better than anyone had expected. Each guest had brought their own guest; a wife, a husband, a partner. They had been encouraged to bring additional guests, with the understanding that those guests would need to be comfortable around the vampires. There was no secret that vampire existed, not after the battle in London, but that they existed at Hellsing was not common knowledge at all. And so, the core of guests had swelled by an equal number as sisters, cousins, uncles, close friends, and more had attended.

And Alucard, much to Alex's shock, blossomed a bit. He'd shown up with a change in attire that surprised Alex; it wasn't a formal party, so there was no tuxedo, but the vampire had dressed in a classic, understated, incredibly stylish outfit that flattered him immensely and turned the heads of nearly every female and a few of the male guests. Seras had clearly been tutored by him in her choice of gown; the simple black gown traced every line of her generous figure in the most flattering way possible, and an eminently classic gathering of ruched fabric was centered with a black rose and tiny black seed pearls at her hip. Both vampires made quite an impression as they entered.

And then Alucard had unbent enough to begin to be...charming. And the guests had responded, even Sir Hellsing engaging in some friendly banter with the vampire. Seras had put her dance lessons on display, finally grabbing Alucard and pulling the surprised yet pleased vampire onto the floor for a more vampiric display of dancing. They didn't have human limitations for speed, balance, strength...and it showed. The round of applause afterwards startled them both; Alex beamed at them while reflecting that neither one truly knew how lovely it had been to watch them dance.

The evening continued in a very convivial style. Gossip, none malicious, was swapped, favorite stories and escapades aired and laughed over, and Alucard and even Seras pulled up a few about parents and older relatives that they'd managed to hide from the younger generations. Even Alex came in for his share of good-natured teasing.

The evening wound down, all but a handful of guests making their goodbyes and leaving, midnight having approached and passed already. The remaining guests had moved their merrymaking into the den, with a great fire roaring on the hearth and mulled wines replacing the champagnes of the earlier evening. Blankets were tossed over bare shoulders and thin gowns, and both couches and the great chairs were filled, a few guests and Alex choosing seats on the thick rug instead.

With the household nocturnal, all of the guests were well aware that they would not be imposing should they stay until dawn, and were simply enjoying themselves too much to leave. One gentleman had been entertaining Seras and swapping tales of events that occurred under Sir Integra; he was old enough to have plenty of stories from that time, yet still young enough to have taken Seras for several energetic turns around the dance floor.

Alucard was entirely taken with a woman that, while not quite old enough to be a grandmother, was certainly on the other side of forty. They'd been deep in conversation for quite some time, and Alex realized with a start that he'd need to prepare for a pair of guests that would be staying later than the others... The vampires had beds in their more public rooms, Alex used them often enough, and he only hoped that the sheets were clean and the blankets thick and warm!

He caught Alucard's eye, and with a tap at the side of his head, he invited the monster in. An inquisitive touch announced the vampire's presence in his mind, and he focused on the beds and tried to convey some worry about their state.

He wasn't certain whether he ought to be reassured or not when the vampire simply grinned back. "Master, I'm old enough to know to prepare for guests. Both mine AND Seras's are ready for company." At Alex's flabberghasted expression, the vampire began to laugh, a hearty, friendly laugh devoid of the creepy undertones and maliciousness that his laughs normally contained. The vampire was in a better mood than Alex had seen in...years. And he wasn't entirely sure whether to be amused or horrified that Alucard had prepared for "company" before the party even began...

As he escorted the last guests to the door, bidding them a very fond goodnight (and, honestly, a very amused "good morning"), he was aware of the vampires and their guests heading off to their own rooms to sleep. He'd left quietly earlier to ask the maids to place a spare robe in those rooms as well as a few sets of nightclothes in case the guests should wish to leave while the vampires slept. He'd notified staff to be prepared for a couple of late breakfasts and perhaps two additional guests for lunch, and he'd left a short note praising the staff for the excellent refreshments and decorations, and a brief list of cleaning instructions and bottles to be restocked or replaced.

All in all, he felt he'd prepared quite well for the day ahead and his unexpected (for him) guests. And then he found something he hadn't prepared for at all.

His own conversational partner for much of the night had been Sir Hellsing. And SHE obviously had plans of her own for how to spend the next few hours.

He was flustered, but not adverse to the idea. But he was very glad when the vampire became sufficiently distracted by his own guest, and quit laughing in his damn mind.

*I'd like to get the chapters into some sort of chronological order but I'm pathetically lazy about it. If you'd like to organize them by title, I'd be happy to arrange them! Just send me a message to let me know you've done so, and I'll get the list from you. If not, I'll try and do this in the next week or two.* 


	45. Chapter 45 : Relaxed

*Finally, an update! This is set just a few months after Alexander Anderson bonds with Alucard. Alucard is still in his "needy" phase with the new bond and the death of Integra. And Alex is discovering some of the more interesting and funny quirks of a vampire.*

Relaxed

He really shouldn't do this.

Anderson mused on this undeniable truth, but continued with his scratching.

It was wrong. It was a betrayal of trust.

True. He had to admit to that. And then his fingers moved up along Alucard's jawline, scratching gently where the beast's neck met his head.

The vampire had given up any pretense of aloofness and pride, lounging across Alex's lap, entirely blissful. As the fingers moved to the other side of his neck, the vampire rotated his head obligingly, eyes half-lidded and entirely fogged with pleasure.

It was just wrong. Alucard was not a pet. He was a highly sentient creature. He should be treated with the respect that his age and intelligence merited.

Well, yes.

But it was just too damn much fun getting him into this state of blissful relaxation...and the busy fingers moved into the vampire's hair, far up and barely scratching the skin.

The half-hour of careful maneuvering of the vampire paid off at this point as he tilted his head, encouraging Alex to scratch harder, and in doing so rolled entirely off the lap and hit the floor.

His enraged glare as he scrambled up clumsily was met with shrieks of laughter from Seras and a grin from Alex. A pause while he decided which one would pay for this indignity, and then the shrieks of laughter turned into a single shriek as Seras turned and fled...Alucard right behind her.

Alex settled back into his seat, chuckling. It wouldn't be long before Alucard was back in his lap. Although it was likely to be a week or more before he could relax the vampire to the point he'd fall off onto the floor again.

Grinning, he picked up the newspaper. He'd never have thought that bonding to a vampire would be this much fun or have so many entirely unexpected opportunities for amusement. 


	46. Christmas Present

Merry Christmas

(Yep, this is my Christmas gift to my fans and constant reviewers. Thank you for your support, advice, opinions, and compliments!)

The vampire's face was expressionless but his eyes thoroughly conveyed his opinion of this entire matter, and it wasn't positive. Seras had wandered off after taking a few moments to look at the Nativity scene and make a few choice comments on were Joseph's eyes were directed. Whoever had arranged the church's Nativity scene had apparently grouped every statue with downcast eyes around the manger and left it at that. Joseph was gazing downward in adoration and love, sure, but thanks to the haphazard arrangement, it wasn't the Holy Infant receiving this gaze from his father, but the mammaries which would provide him sustenance. Alex only hoped this had been an accidental arrangement of the statues...

Seras had continued to take a wander about the church grounds while Midnight Mass was in session. Bored and far less destructive than her Sire, the snow caking her back and sprinkled in her hair indicated she'd engaged her time by making snow angels. Now, a glance her direction showed her working the puffy and uncooperative snow into a ball, slowly but surely creating a snowman.

Alucard, however...

"Come on, now. You were invited to join me, and you could have stayed home."

A growl, and the vampire snapped out at him, "Midnight Mass. Churches aren't comfortable at the best of times, and I'd rather not saturate myself with all that Joy and Holy Love and other crap. Thank you, but no." This was ended with a rather sarcastic bite.

"Then you could have entertained yourself with Seras. She certainly seems to have enjoyed her outing."

Alucard gave him a look that would have withered lesser men. "And you think I would have enjoyed snow angels?"

Alexander was thinking he'd probably have enjoyed noticing the Nativity error and incorporating a few of his own into the scene. But it was best not to give the ancient monster any ideas. "It's a lovely night, the stars are out, you could have taken a short walk in the area." Not overly trusting of his wards, he'd chosen a small country church with a dwindling congregation. This way, if it all went pear-shaped, the fewest people possible would be traumatized. It also meant that there were snowy pastures and fields surrounding the church and lots of space for the vampires to wander.

That friendly suggestion withered and died on Alucard's glare. With a sigh, Alexander reached up a gloved hand to ruffle the silky black hair. "You could have stayed home, even."

A snort. "And spent the entire time worrying? Reasonable or not, the bond is far, far too new for me to let you out of my sight for a few hours." And, understood but not spoken, was the thought that to a vampire a church was intrinsically and instinctively dangerous, threatening, the enemy. And with Alex inside of one, Alucard would have been edgy. The vampire had relaxed somewhat with the physical attention, shoulders slumping a bit, eyes drooping, and the head angling into the palm of Alexander's hand.

"Let's go home, now. And Merry Christmas." Alex pulled his hand away, and with a grumble and a sigh, Alucard straightened to turn and follow him back to the car. Smiling slightly at his grumbling, grumpy charge, Alex shook his head, mind wandering back to remember equally grumpy orphans, up so late at night even if it was Christmas, and how similar this ancient vampire's mannerisms could be to those of a fretful toddler.

And then the enormous, heavy, solid ball of snow hit them, followed by Sera's shrieking laughter.

It hadn't been a snowman she'd been working on, after all. And she'd used brute force to pack that fluffy snow into a solid ball...

Alex's rump hit the ground with a solid thud, and he heard Alucard's roar as the vampire launched himself over Alex's prone body. A stream of Romanian invectives followed as the red-clad beast launched himself after his errant offspring, and Sera's shrieks of laughter turned into pure shrieks. Red and pink forms raced across the snow, barely in sight, with muffled giggles and threats carrying faintly over the crisp new snow.

Alex simply laid on his back, smiling up at the stars, chuckling to himself. He was perpetually amazed by how his vampires reacted, and if he'd been asked to predict how they'd respond to Christmas and Midnight Mass, he'd only have been accurate in guessing that Alucard would be grumpy. He'd never have guessed they'd follow him to the church. A solid "thump" and the steady plopping and whishing-sounds of falling snow indicated that one or both had collided with a tree and knocked it bare of snow. He smiled...and then began moving his arms and legs about.

The vampires returned to find him waiting in the car, with a perfect snow-angel nearby. 


	47. New Years

New Years

*I had a request for a New Years story with fireworks. And I'd already done a Guy Fawkes day story in Unpredictable. But then...Alexander wouldn't know this, right? And it's the first New Years he's spent with the vampires... And this story hatched. I'm not too happy with the ending, but it works. :) *

"Come on out."

"No."

"It's a party. You'll enjoy it."

"No."

A second set of red eyes appeared beside the first, gleaming out at Alex from the deepest darkest corner of the deepest darkest room under the entire Hellsing Estate.

"Seras, is that you?"

The red eyes blinked and then vanished. Alex moved down the stairs into the secluded little room, apparently only there to allow one final access point to the sewer pipes. It was empty but for dirt, a great and rusted trap door, and two very irritable vampires. The closer inspection showed that Seras's eyes had vanished because she'd buried her face in Alucard's shoulder.

And he was glaring at Alex with every bit of disdain and annoyance his ancient aristocratic bones could muster.

"This is getting ridiculous. It's filthy and cold down here. And it smells. And there's a celebration up there. The soldiers even donated some fresh blood..." Well, bribed and paid to "donate" but there were still two very fresh bottles waiting for the vampires. "It's a New Year. Time to celebrate." He crouched, coaxing the two vampires. "It'll be fun."

Alucard met his coaxing with a look of utter disbelief.

"FUN?" The red-clad monster snorted. "There are FIREWORKS." He grumbled, turning to hunch protectively about his offspring. "Bad enough a century ago, but these are soldiers. And they don't do the little, fun, family-type fireworks."

The vampire utterly ignored Alex after that, only rousing to snap and snarl when the man tugged gently at his sleeve.

Spoiled monsters. What WAS their problem? Alex gave it up as a bad job and went upstairs to celebrate with the others. It was nearly midnight, he'd bring their blood downstairs afterwards. Fireworks were fireworks. The two vampires shot off guns louder than almost any firecrackers he'd seen, so what was the problem?

x x x x x

Mortars. They were using mortar shells. And ammunition. And they'd managed to get their hands on professional-grade fireworks. The super-professional-grade fireworks that many of the most ardent pyrotechnicians avoided like they'd avoid dripping sticks of old dynamite. It was a wonder no one was maimed or killed.

And it was no wonder they'd been passing out hearing protection, either. Alex winced as the thunderous boom echoed across the grounds. If the glass hadn't been bullet-proof and reinforced, they'd have lost some windows to that.

The next one was louder, but it wasn't the boom that forced him inside, it was the shrill shrieking of the shells? rockets? fireworks? as they tore into the sky and into his brain.

He knew his hearing, like his eyesight and smell, was more sensitive than a normal humans, but still, how could any of them stand to be out in that mess? The sparklers on the latest launch went off. Strobes. They'd launched strobes. And he bet that was a flash grenade.

Yes. With that boom, definitely a flash grenade.

Two. Two flash grenades.

Make that three.

Fourfivesixseven Oh Shit.

Whimpering to himself, half-blinded, he stumbled inside past the troops with their ear covers and dark shades and into the quiet of the house. The near-quiet. The walls were thick, able to stop a bullet and even some of the larger arms, but they weren't stopping this noise. At least the lights weren't so bright.

The chorus of shouts and cheers at the brilliant display made him wince even more. They were ENJOYING this?

A flurry of papers, and he found himself in Alucard's chambers. Dark, thank the Lord, dark and quiet. Well...dark, at least. Even the brightest of the flash grenades wouldn't show up down here. But his sensitive ears could still hear the trace of the latest squealer to shriek skywards. Not enough to hurt, not anywhere near that loud, but still faintly audible. A normal human wouldn't hear it. He could barely hear it. It would probably still be audible to the vampires, tho-...

Oh, dear.

No wonder.

With a wince of sympathy for them, he hoped for the vampires' sakes that the men ran through their supplies of explosives soon. He couldn't blame the soldiers, the chance to see things blow up and explode without ghouls and death mixed in was something they wouldn't pass up. And the yearly fireworks show was a tradition he'd been hearing about since early fall, when they'd begun placing orders and talking about the equipment they'd be receiving.

He should have paid more attention.

Next year, he and the vampires would NOT be celebrating New Years at home...

Oh, no, he'd forgotten to bring their fresh blood downstairs! And there was no way they'd be going upstairs with that much noise and light. And no way HE would be returning upstairs either.

He'd just have to give them a big meal off himself. He hadn't done so in months, and he knew how much they'd enjoy it. With the amount of discomfort and misery they were in, it was the least he could do. And, it might distract them from the fact that their "fresh" blood had been allowed to cool and congeal a bit. It wasn't like he couldn't replace the blood he fed them almost immediately...yes. He'd give them a treat, let them have more than a trace of his blood.

He'd been wrong.

He COULD hear that shrieker well enough for it to be uncomfortable.

A few minutes later, he'd joined his two vampires, the thick blankets off the bed wrapped around his shoulders, the pillows softening the floor, and the room utterly silent. Not a peep was audible, not a single, shrill, brain-drilling screaming rocket detectable.

x x x x

"I forgot your blood." Both sets of red eyes peered up at him from where the vampires lounged comfortably against his shoulder. "And I am NOT going back up into that melee to retrieve it." A grumble then, from Seras surprisingly enough, though the light showed Alucard merely looking resigned.

"Did either of you eat before coming down here?"

Head shakes, and Seras mumbled at him, "No...as soon as we woke we came in here. Didn't want to go upstairs in case they started early."

"And they do this EVERY YEAR?"

A nod by Alucard, hair shifting against his chest. "Every year it gets WORSE. Integra started letting them use the old ammo that was ready to expire a decade ago. It wasn't too bad until then. Just fireworks." The beast shuddered. "Now...the fireworks start at sunset. And then at midnight..."

Yes, Alex was well aware of what happened at midnight. He'd wondered why the men were setting off firecrackers and skyrockets so early, rather than waiting until midnight. Now he realized that the soldiers didn't really consider those to be real fireworks. More along the lines of sparklers...

At midnight, all Hell broke loose up there.

And his hungry charges were hiding down here away from it all.

For now, he'd feed them. He could handle a pair of vampire bites. And next year, they were going far, far, far away for New Years.

Far away.

Very, very far away.

Someplace where fireworks were illegal or nonexistent. And it was quiet.

Antarctica, maybe.

Could they get a seat on the Space Station? 


	48. Chapter 48 Ghasts

(Yes, I know, I need to continue with To Possess. Unfortunately, it will take hours and hours to read and catch back up on so that I don't make major continuity errors, and I just don't have the time. But I did want to produce SOMETHING to let my readers know I hadn't vanished on you forever! And I watched a lovely short scary video on Youtube called Bedfellows. The creature in the story below is modeled after the appearance of that creature. Enjoy!)

Ghasts

The Hellsing car pulled to a stop outside the derelict hospital. The sleek silver lines, dating from decades prior and speaking of a conservative class, were at odds with the hulking orange and yellow construction vehicles parked randomly about. Alex stepped out onto the rubble, looking about for the person or people that were in charge as Alucard and Seras waited in the interior of the car. It hadn't taken long for him to realize that he'd better order them to stay out of sight when arriving on a scene...

Within minutes, the foreman and a hospital admin were standing with him at the stairwell, looking down into the black depths of the hospital's basement corridors.

"We were getting the metals out. Lots of copper wiring down there, pipes, useful stuff. Had a team of six working the lowest layer when it showed up." The foreman looked shaky, Alex realized, but he was articulate. A nice change from the blubbering terror they sometimes encountered. "They said they pulled the wiring to the incinerator and it can out at them. All pale and boney, lots of teeth." A pause as the man gathered himself to continue. "I thought they'd seen a big rat, a dog, maybe were just havin' me on. Went down myself and damned if it wasn't there where they said. I didn't stop for a second but came up an' called right away."

Not a gremlin, not with the hospital shut down and nothing to play and tinker with. Not a vampire, not without having some shambling ghouls waiting here for him. Not a ghoul, either...not without a vampire around.

"No one injured?" Alex clarified, for if there was a bite, that would have to be dealt with first.

"Not to speak of." The foreman's jowls shook as the heavyset man's head rocked in negation. "Couple scrapes and sprains from runnin' in the dark, not more."

"Can you describe it to me? What did you see? How many?" Alucard and Seras would be listening in on this, and he'd see if they could identify it. He'd already run through his knowledge and nothing seemed to fit. Everything he could think of would have taken chunks out of several people or wouldn't have been in the hospital basement to begin with.

His steady demeanor seemed to be calming the foreman, and the man was very forthright about it. "Can't say as I saw too much. It's damned dark down there. All white, black pits for eyes but I could see them gleaming out. Teeth, lots of teeth, all sharp and pointed. Sizewise...bigger than a kid. Smaller than a full grown adult. I thought it was a teen having us on until I saw those teeth and saw it move. A kid wouldn't move that fast. Damn thing was there and then gone. But all pale and grey. The boys are callin' it Gollum, says that's what it looks like."

A Gollum? While the Lord of the Rings had no factual basis...perhaps a goblin? No, not with those teeth. And once again, it would have taken chunks out of the people that found it, not vanished and let them escape. Thanking the man, Alex moved to collect his two vampires. Seras looked simply excited at the prospect of something new, while Alucard looked...pensive? The vampire simply shrugged at Alex's inquisitive glance, and the three of them vanished down the dark stairwell while the humans gathered at the far end of the lot, giving their accounts to a Hellsing representative.

x x x x

Accustomed as he was to the dark, superior eyesight notwithstanding, it was pitch black down there and with a warning to the vampires, Alex switched on his torch. The bright LED light glared off the surfaces and threw the basement into sharp relief as the three of them followed the directions down the stairs to lower and lower levels, then working towards the north end of the building. Alex heard nothing, but saw Alucard stiffen slightly, pause, and sniff the air. Grinning, the vampire turned to Alex.

"I know what it is." With a quick tug at Seras's arm, Alucard darted down the passageway, leaving a surprised Alex alone. With a muffled oath, he strode after his missing charges. Damn bloodthirsty bastards, charging off for a fight and not saving a single bit of it for him.

Rounding the corner, light in one hand, blade in the other, he came upon the two vampires and their prey.

Seras was giggling as the beast dug about in her pockets, clambering over her crouched form. Alucard was leaning against the wall, a fond grin on his face as he watched his offspring. Clearly, they had no intention of killing it anytime soon. Grunting, the grey creature finished its inspection, sniffing at her hair and then burrowing into her lap. With a louder giggle, Seras sat heavily on her rump, arm and lap full of a creature nearly her own size with Alucard looking on fondly.

"Alright, you two. What is it?"

The beast looked up with a breathless shriek and darted off into the dark. Seras and Alucard both gave him identical sour looks.

"Go fetch him back, Seras, while I explain to Master what we've got here."

x x x x

"A Ghast?"

"Well, that's what the English call them. They're entirely harmless, unless you're dead. They eat dead bodies, the more rotten, the better. They are very useful for vampires, for a ghast will eat a ghoul. They're incredibly voracious, and two or three of them will eat an entire adult human and not even leave boots behind. They're strong, but easy to kill, though they live well over a century. Any ghast you meet will have learned that humans are dangerous, and they're...skittish. Timid. The most cowardly, craven beast you've ever met. They're the jackals of the undead, cleaning up after our kills." A red eye slanted to look at Alex before focusing on the dark where his child had vanished. "And they're pets."

"PETS?"

A smug smile. "Yes. They naturally bond to us, and it wasn't unusual for a vampire to have a small pack about them. They're appealing little monsters. Not terribly bright, though more than a dog or a cat, and affectionate." The smile broadened. "You saw it with Seras already. It's picked her as its master and you won't be able to separate them without killing it. They're very loyal." A flicker of pain across the vampire's eyes as Alucard's memories surfaced with a painful reminder, and experience held Alex's tongue. He'd learned not to question what caused those sad, fleeting expressions, for he always regretted the answer and the sorrow it evoked in Alucard. It would be days, even weeks, before the vampire returned to normal when forced to remember what had turned out to be very tragic losses.

"So...Seras has a pet." An ugly one at that. And it ate dead people. Lovely. "What was it doing here? You said they ate dead bodies? Did it go after what was in the morgue?"

Red eyes gleamed playfully at him. "Oh, if it had the chance, I'd say so! But not likely. For the last few centuries, humans have preserved bodies and filled them with formaldehyde and such. That killed almost all the ghasts; they'd dig up and eat a body after a funeral, as they'd always done...and die. This one is smarter than that. And the morgue is filled with people, doctors and nurses, bright lights... There were probably a few bodies over the years missing an arm or with a bite out of them, but only a few. No, this one is brighter than most." Teeth gleamed as Alucard waited. He knew something Alex didn't and the damn vampire loved such situations, dangling information out of reach until Alex could drag it out of him bit by bit.

"What did it eat?" A glare at Alucard, who grinned wider at the game. "Keep in mind, if she's going to keep it, I have to feed it and I'm going to need this information. I'd rather not just kill it and go home." The grin faltered a bit at the threat, and the response was a bit sulky. "The incinerator, Master." A dirty look, and Alex felt a bit foolish. After all, they'd found it down here. "I don't doubt a lot of the body parts destined to be burned ended up eaten."

"This hospital has been closed for over a year, Alucard. What in the world has it been eating? Who?" Missing vagrants, perhaps? Had any of the demolition crew gone missing?

"It hasn't." The vampire's simple statements stopped Alex cold. "They can go for over a year without eating. It may have had a dead body if it happened to luck upon one before a human did, but down in the basement, I doubt it. They do keep stashes of food, letting it spoil and age and rot to their preference...but it would have gone through that quickly. It's nothing but skin and bones right now."

"Can it drink blood?" Oh, that would solve this little problem so nicely.

"No. They need meat." Alucard's expression indicated that he fully believed Alex would solve this little problem. From the corner of his eye, he saw Seras standing quietly down the hall, a white face peeping out from behind her. Ignoring the food problem for now, he let her coax it out for him to look it over.

Skinny didn't begin to describe it. It was starved, and how it remained standing, he wasn't sure. Oversized white head, deep gray lines emphasizing features, great gaping toothed maw that it hissed at him with, hunched back with long clawed arms...vaguely human, but twisted and out of proportion somehow. And it didn't move like a human. Jerky...it was like watching stop-motion animation.

"Does it pose a danger to any of the humans?" He was feeling some pity for the tattered, starved, frightened beast, but not at the risk of getting someone else bitten.

"No, not at all." Alucard was quick to refute this. "It's entirely harmless. If they ignored the fit it would throw, they could pick it up and carry it without getting so much as a scratch."

"Fine. We'll take it home." Seras's great grin warmed his heart a bit. Damned if he wasn't spoiling them...but he was intrigued by this creature. If it was harmless, there was no call to kill it, and Seras and even Alucard were clearly taken with it.

Riding home with them on the seat across from him, Ghast tucked between them and huddled comfortably, Alex was struck by two thoughts. The thing purred as loud as the vampires. And it absolutely reeked.

x x x x

The ghast, with Seras had puckishly named Spot, stared at the dish of goo. Alex found it utterly disgusting, but in his search for body parts, it was really all he could come up with. Fatty chunks and skin, the detritus from a plastic surgery clinic and the liposuctions and tucks. No bone meal, though he'd crushed a few calcium tablets over it. Alucard had assured him that, starved or not, there was no way to make the beast ill. A boney talon reached out, poking hesitantly at the glistening pink and yellow globs, then a thin black tongue flicked out to lick that talon clean.

Between one blink at the next, the beast had buried its face in the bowl, choking and gasping as it guzzled the mess down. Disgusted and nauseated, Alex excused himself. Spot's distended stomach and the flicking black tongue cleaning its face, and the pleasure it had taken in eating the bits of human...it was a bit much. But at least it had been fed. If only they could do something about that smell...

Later, he found Seras and Spot playing in the basement. She actually had the ghast playing fetch. There was no ball involved, but instead a plastic skull from the Halloween decorations. Seeing Spot grinning with a skull in its mouth was just...disturbing.

"Seras...can you bathe him? He smells dreadful." Her cute face puckered in confusion.

"Dreadful? I like the way he smells..." she looked at the ghast, then back at him, "What do you mean?"

"He means," as Alucard morphed through the wall, "that the smell of a ghast is unpleasant to a human. Humans do not consider the same scents attractive. He smells of gore, and death, and blood, and rot, and earth...a bouquet to us." Alucard smiled fondly at the ghast as it leaned up against Seras, patently begging for a scratch. "And it's not a scent that can be washed away. He does need a bath to remove the grime...but he'll always smell like a ghast." Alucard's amused grin at Alex's expense made it clear that he knew exactly how the odor affected the human and was simply delighted by the situation.

And the next day, though the ghast was clearly cleaner, the contrast between the silvery-gray and charcoal markings far more pronounced, the skin gleaming...there was no change in the reek at all. And it was permeating Seras's room already. With Spot following at her heels where ever she went, the staff was slowly encountering the creature and quickly complaining about the smell. Alex ordered the vampires to keep the beast in the basement, the office, and outside only. The smell was a permanent feature of the beast; like having a pet skunk, he supposed. It didn't stop the vampires from petting it and letting it crawl all over them!

But it couldn't live on fat and skin forever. Alex suspected it needed muscles and organs and bones, and Alucard confirmed that they'd eat the entire corpse. But science had advanced, and after a discussion with the medical crew, Alex had his solution.

A large portion of the basement was given over to growing human tissues. Vats of muscle cells waiting to be layered onto a scaffold of calcium deposits. Scraps and bits of liver floating in nutrient baths, growing and enlarging. Organs meant for transplant but whose recipients did not need them or died before they could be used arrived weekly in chilled metal containers. Disturbingly, a wall of eyeballs bounced and floated in their pools of liquid, from membranous thin translucent spheres to fully developed staring ones.

It was a large regular expenditure of money...but it did keep the beast fed. Dead tissues from labs that had reached the end of their viability arrived, as did the occasional amputated, damaged limb that was being replaced with a healthy new bud.

Seras doted on the beast, but Alex was hesitant. Yes, she cared for it...but that was a large outpouring of resources, and it was slowly draining even the exceptional funds of the vampires. It wouldn't empty them for another decade...but it would. Vat-grown tissues weren't cheap. And then Spot gave him a reason to keep the beast around and funded via Hellsing.

x

It was a normal hunt. Four vampires, fresh from the continent, hunting and hiding in the rough hill country of Scotland. Seras and Alucard had gone hunting happily, leaving Spot with him, and the soldiers of Hellsing keeping a perimeter guard on the roads and tracks into the area. They were watching to make certain that no one entered the danger zone as the vampires cleaned it out...but one detachment was much closer to the vampire's lair than anyone had guessed. The ghouls had come bumbling out of the dark, and while they were all destroyed...three of the six men had been bitten.

Alex had rushed to help them, arriving in a flurry of papers, and discovered a nasty bite in one calf, along the back thigh of another man, and high on the shoulder of their sergeant. She was in the worst case; he could cut the legs off the men and possibly prevent the infection from spreading, but could do nothing for her, and from the look in her eyes, she knew it.

And then Spot raced out of the darkness, squalling, and darted in under his descending blade to bite an enormous chunk from her shoulder. Shocked at the aggression from the creature, the one that had always avoided the humans and was now attacking one, it took Alex off guard and there was a pause as he raised his blade again. Oh, he'd have to kill Spot...kill it, and explain to Seras...and while he thought this and despaired and raised that blade for a mortal blow against spot, the creature's black tongue darted out and layed a layer of sticky, rancid goo on her shoulder's wound. The gush of blood stopped. Immediately. As did her screaming. Spot darted to the first man, taking a huge bite from his calf, swallowing it down as Alex whirled to strike the ghast down, shielding itself with the human while licking the wound and leaving that horrid layer of saliva and goo on the gaping hole it had left in the calf.

Oh, dear God in Heaven, it was eating his men. Alucard had said it ate ghouls...and those three would be ghouls...and it was trying to eat them now. His blade glowed as it slashed down as Spot leapt at the third man, slicing a deep gash down the beast's side. Spot whirled, staring at him, then shrieking and racing away with unexpected speed. A faltering step after it, then Alex turned towards the injured group. He'd have to send the vampires after it...the dying soldiers took precedence.

"I'm so sorry." His apology was so shallow...he'd failed to locate the vampires accurately before stationing the men, failed to ask about Spot and it's ghoul-eating, failed to keep it from the injured soldiers...and now they would not only be dying from the bites of the ghouls, but would die having been attacked by one of Hellsing's own. The two that Spot had attacked assured him weakly that it was alright, he couldn't have known...they were dying anyways, eh, so no real harm done, bravery in the face of death and all that. The third wasn't speaking, already gasping and going grey as he ghouled. Hellsing did not allow its people to be ghouls, and the soldier's whispered thanks as Alex lifted the blade to decapitate him were the last words the man spoke.

Head rolling at his feet, the man's body already partly ashed due to the spread of the contaminant, Alex turned to the remaining two. If the first had already ghouled, they'd be following shortly. And they didn't. When Seras and Alucard arrived, several minutes had ticked past, and they two remained...human. Badly injured, but not bleeding...and not ghouled.

Alucard hadn't realized that Spot could, or would, stop a ghouling. He'd suspected long ago based on observations of injured humans, but...he hadn't really cared one way or the other and had never pursued the question. He'd simply tossed worn-out ghouls and the occasional dead human or arm or skull to his pets, and not worried himself further. But this was the only explanation for the survival of the two humans...and had Alex delayed a moment more, the third would also have lived. Badly scarred, but alive...and surgeons could fix scars and lost tissue.

He blamed himself though he couldn't have known at the time, and the ghast itself hid away from him. He'd caught a few glimpses of it and the thick pink scar that threaded down its side now, but couldn't get close to it, couldn't regain its trust. It still went with them on hunts, but it stayed with the soldiers as a welcome addition or, more often, with the medic hoping for a scrap or treat. Injuries were rare...but with the ghast about, there were soldiers now walking about with a missing hand or bad scar from a vampire or ghoul that would have been six feet under without it. Given a few months or a year to restore them, and they were back and hunting again with the others.

It didn't take long at all for Hellsing's director to get funding to keep the ghoul fed, and, once word spread, for donated expired tissues to begin to flow in steadily. There was far more than Spot could eat, but Alex was assured that the tissues were old and would have been disposed of anyways. Several containers vanished as Spot secreted them away to rot and age to a superior flavor, increasing the reek of the basement. Seras and Alucard reported that Spot was sleek and healthy, but still terribly frightened of him. Guilt ate at Alex, but there was nothing he could do.

x

The groundskeeper was shaken, but adamant that there was something in the crypt and he was NOT going back down there. Seras and Alucard were still sound asleep as the afternoon light slanted through the trees, so Alex entered the crypt himself.

He grinned as he carried the ghast into Hellsing manor. Alucard had been right; even in a panicked frenzy, the ghast hadn't injured him. And it was so skinny... The entire platter of tissues was gone as fast as Spot had ever managed it.

Fluffy. Yes...if Seras was calling hers Spot, this would be Fluffy. Nervous eyes darted to look at him and about the room as Alex looked at it fondly. A quiet call woke Alucard, and the grumbling vampire stepped through the wall to freeze in surprise as he saw the ghast.

Alex left them, grin on his face, with the bemused vampire holding the ghast as it burrowed into his coat. Fluffy had take to the vampire immediately, and it was mutual.

Whistling cheerfully, Alex left them to bond. The guilt over the soldier's death and Spot's injury and trauma lessened with each step. He'd found and saved another ghast, one that was slowly starving, and gotten Alucard a pet of his own in the process. It balanced some of the damage he'd done, untintentional as it had been. He could have left the ghast in the cemetary, it wasn't doing any harm, after all.

But he was so glad he hadn't! 


	49. Chapter 49 Ghastly Fighting

I had this idea over a year ago, and really wanted to include the origin of the ghasts in a subsequent chapter. Then, I read a very, very good Bleach fanfiction called "The Real King." It just kinda gelled into this...

-v-v-

Alex had just dropped his tea ball into the hot water when Seras stormed into the kitchen. She was normally more bubbly and chatty when she came upstairs, but tonight she was clearly in a mood. Not a word was exchanged as she stomped over to the cooler and pulled out a cold blood pack. Once she'd flopped down into the wooden chair, glaring off at nothing as she sipped, Alex broke the silence.

"Alucard causing problems?"

"You could say that. Spot and Fluffy are fighting again. HE thinks its funny. Every time I separate them, he starts working to get me distracted so they can start up again." She glared at the table, and if it was ever possible for a glare to reduce furniture to kindling, hers would have. "They FINALLY fell asleep, or I wouldn't even be up here getting a meal!"

Fighting? "Are you sure they're fighting and not playing? I had a pair of dogs once, you'd have sworn they were out for blood, but never a scratch on them. Maybe it's all noise and no harm done." It would certainly explain Alucard's nonchalance, and the damn bastard was more than ornery enough to let Seras stew while he laughed.

"I'm sure. Spot's been ending up with scratches and cuts and bruises, more than Fluffy, but he's got some too." Sera's face puckered up a bit. She was very fond and protective of her pet, especially after the severe injury Alex had given to the poor beast. Seeing him hurt was clearly tearing her up some.

"Did you try separating them?" An easy answer, but one she might not have thought of if she was that distraught.

"Of COURSE I separated them. They tore down a door to get at each other. And when I put them in a better place, that bastard opened the locks and let them loose again." Seras got up suddenly, stalking over to get a second blood pack, and tearing into this one with her teeth, eyes glowing with anger.

"Well...Fluffy has only been here, what, six weeks? I suspect this is a pecking-order issue. He's finally strong enough and recovered enough to challenge Spot. It might be best to just let them work this out." Appeasingly, he pointed out, "Alucard knows ghasts better than anyone, and he's just as attached to Fluffy as you are to Spot. If he's not worried, maybe you shouldn't be worried about this, either." Seras looked up, mouth opening, ready to argue. He'd have to convince her, and check to make certain that they really weren't going to injure each other more than superficially while the ghasts worked it out. "Tell you what. Once they're awake, let me know, and I'll come down and see what's happening. If they are fighting, I'll make Alucard explain himself and we'll figure out how to keep them both safe."

Nodding at this solution, Seras visibly relaxed. "Thanks, Master. I'll let you know when they wake up!" She threw cold arms around his neck in a hug that would have cracked the bones of a mere human, then trotted off.

Fighting, eh? Sipping his tea, Alex pondered. Seras was so innocent seeming...this wasn't like a kid's version of "That tomcat is fighting with our kitty!", was it? No...she only seemed young and innocent. She was well aware of how things worked. They were definitely fighting, or at least playing rough. Well, he'd have to solve it later.

-v-v-

It was such a quiet night. No one there to train, no missions to go on, nothing needing any detective work, not even a recalcitrant public official needing a bit of intimidating. Even the vampires were otherwise occupied...a perfect night for a quiet stroll about the grounds. Well, it would have been, except that ten minutes into his walk, Alucard appeared at his side. It was very quiet, Alex wasn't sure how long his charge had been ghosting along at his side, but the vampire appeared just as relaxed and appreciative of the peaceful night as he was. Their ramble continued in silence, ending only when the gentle breeze became colder and a few warning drops began to land.

As they headed through the back doorway, Alex broke the silence. "Seras was telling me that the ghasts were fighting. What is happening? Are they just establishing a pecking order?"

He was unprepared for the guffaw that evoked. Alucard's shoulders shook with laughter, and bloody tears streaked his face. The damn monster could find the oddest things funny, and it was anyone's guess whether he'd share that humor or not. If he did, it was often so vampiric that only Seras would chuckle, and even she sometimes simply looked perplexed. Alucard caught Alex's inquisitive look, and sputtered out, "Pecker Order!" before gasping and howling with laughter, then disappearing through the wall, still cackling.

Damned vampire. Well, at least he was amused by all this.

-v-v-

Several hours later, Seras came running into the library, crying that they were fighting again and Alucard wouldn't let her stop them. Irritated at the insensitive beast, Alex levered himself out of the comfortable chair and onto his feet, and strode downstairs on the heels of an agitated vampire. They marched into Alucard's room...to find that the ghasts were not remotely fighting. One was curled up and sound asleep, the other slumped comfortably over it, eyes blinking. Sure, there were some scratches and scabs...but they seemed to be over it. Alucard himself slumped comfortably in his throne, looking...smugly...at the two pets.

All was peaceful until the sleeping one stirred and one bleary eye caught sight of Alex. Spot squawked and shrilled and darted behind Alucard's throne, crying miserably at Seras. Fluffy... Fluffy launched himself at Alex and only Alucard's stern NO turned the clawed attacked into a mere collision of bodies. Growling (Fluffy could growl?), the ghast backed up, trying to keep one eye on Alex and one eye on Spot until he was behind the throne with the other ghast. Seras was staring at them, as shocked as Alex, and then darted behind the throne as well to comfort them. Alex could hear the baby-talk, and before too long the growls and crying were simply the occasional grumpy squawk and grumble.

Staring at Alucard, Alex had to demand an answer. "Vampire, what the Hell is going on here?"

Smirking, Alucard finally told him.

"They were fighting over "pecker order." There are two ghasts, plenty of food, they're safe, they feel secure and protected, they are both finally healthy...and so their reproductive urges were triggered. The only problem was which one was going to be getting pregnant. Neither one wants to have to carry the litter." At Alex's pole-axed expression, Alucard's smirk became even more pronounced. "They're hermaphroditic. They were trying to see which one was the boss and would be dominant, and which one would have to carry the babes, but couldn't risk injuring their mate. So it was loud and drawn out. I don't think Seras appreciated it much. They finally came to their conclusion tonight."

Seras's rumpled head popped out from behind the throne, and she looked up at Alucard, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Meaning?..."

Alucard's head went back as he cackled. "Congratulations, Police Girl. You're going to be a grandmother."

-v-v-

Over the next month, Spot's body thickened, and Fluffy was constantly hauling food to him (her?). Alex used the time to help Seras shop online for various nests for the babies. A dozen large dog beds and assorted futons and floor pillow littered her room. Spot kept shredding them, pulling out stuffing and hauling the white puffs and the fabric shells about. It was Alex who made the connection that they kept finding them UNDER things. A sturdy table was brought downstairs, and boards added to the sides to make a sort of cave for the ghasts. After Fluffy had checked it out, Spot promptly grabbed as many cushions as possible and started cramming them in.

Alex couldn't see how they could all fit, much less have room for the two ghasts. On the other hand, with him now out of site and Spot feeling more secure, the nervous looks from Spot and growling from Fluffy were no longer directed at him. He still felt bad about Spot's injury, but Seras was so nervous about the upcoming baby that she kept calling him down for advice! Alucard had been hopeless as a source of information, merely informing them that ghasts had been having babies for centuries and they'd be just fine.

They didn't even know how long Spot would be pregnant, and Alex was tired of the games. If they were going to take good care of the ghasts, Seras needed to know more. Alucard could be distressingly cavalier about other creatures, though he was fiercely protective of his child, Master, and pet. If he honestly thought Spot was at risk, he'd act...but in the meantime, it amused the tall monster to watch them fret.

"Alucard...get your undead ass in here. Now." The command was firm and there was no wiggle room, and within moments the looming red figure was melting through the wall.

-v-v-

"Seras and I don't know much about ghasts at all. And we have a baby ghast coming. We don't even know when, or what it will need. Hell, I didn't even know they reproduced. So start talking, Alucard. If Seras is content with the information, I'll let you have a feed off me...so don't disappoint her." A command, and a carrot. Threatening the vampire would just make him clam up and work to mislead and misdirect them. Alex settled comfortably on the bed, Seras cross-legged beside him and leaning on him, and Alucard finally huffed and joined them. It was a bit crowded, but Alex was going to ignore that in favor of finally getting some answers.

"When the first ghasts reproduced, I was as surprised as anything." Alucard's opening statement was nothing like Alex had expected, and Seras quickly craned her neck about to peer up at her sire. "I had no reason to think that they could do so."

"Wait...so...how did you think...no...where did the ghasts come from, then?"

Alucard looked slightly guilty. "I had heard of them from another vampire that had created a few on accident."

"CREATED?" A nod. "How would you create these?! It is like the spell that made you, but one that backfired?"

With a huff, Alucard answered. "If you'd let me speak, I'll tell you." Grumbling, Alex settled himself back down. "Well, vampires eat humans, that was no surprise. And sometimes a vampire would need...punished, even destroyed if their actions were extreme enough. Well...it wasn't unusual to have human servants, and sometimes one of them would do something terrible. And, sometimes, well...vampires get curious.

Another older vampire had a son that she found unstable and that she needed to destroy. Prior to her doing so, he did something dreadful. Attacked another of her children, destroyed their home, ate a village, I don't know. She also had some human prisoners, kept as meals for later on. Vampires ate humans, and she apparently wondered what would happen if a human ate a vampire."

Alex and Seras both looked nauseated at this. A vampire turned to dust and ash almost immediately after death. Alucard was talking about them eating a still-living vampire. Just...horrible...a level of cannibalism that was likely to give Seras a few nightmares.

"I don't know what she expected, but the humans didn't die from it, and they didn't ghoul, either. They became something different. Not as mindless as a ghoul, not dead, but...different. Not male, not female; ghouls are unable to reproduce like that. Vampires can change their form between sexes. A ghast is like both, but like neither. Like a vampire, they ate humans, but not live ones. And they clustered to vampires, drawn to them like a child to its maker." He fell silent for a minute, clearly expected them to have questions.

"And...all the ghouls, then, are descended from hers?" Were they inbred? How many had she made?

"Ah...no." Alucard definitely looked embarassed now. "When we heard of this, especially if we'd met her ghouls, well, we wanted our own." He wouldn't meet Alex's eyes now. "I had a, well, a grandson...I had to put him down...so...I waited until I had the chance to collect some humans..." Collect them, even. Well, he was an evil monster, no matter how he'd mellowed. Alex should be surprised to be surprised by this. "And...I made three of my own. Even though I was much stronger than the other vampires, all our ghasts turned out to be very similar. Even when the vampire itself was an original and different from me in its forms, our ghouls would be similar...and so are our ghasts.

As you may have guessed, I kept them well-fed and it wasn't long before they had their first offspring. It was a complete surprise to me. I was distracted by my children and once the novelty had worn off, I didn't pay as close of attention as I should have to my ghasts. They were fed, sheltered, given affection when they sought it. And then one day, it wasn't just three ghasts that came up to me!"

Alucard's eyes brightened and he grinned evilly at his child. "They have litters, too. I hope you have several names picked out, I never saw a litter smaller than three...or bigger than nine, fortunately. Once there are enough to fill a place or the food supply drops off, they don't have more. They disperse once they're about half-grown. Some of mine went with other vampires, some wandered off to take up homes in cemetaries, some simply disappeared." At Seras's shocked and worried look, Alucard was quick to reassure. "The ones that were pets, bonded to me, they stayed. They're very loyal. Don't fret, you're stuck with Spot for some time to come." Alucard even ruffled her hair...clearly, thinking about his old pets was bringing back some good memories!

"So, vampire...how long do we have before she has her...litter? And she's not going to lay eggs, is she?" Alex's wry look brought a bubble of slightly demonic laughter from his vampire.

"About another month. The babes are born very small, and look like nothing so much as large maggots. You can hold one in your hand, Seras." Dancing eyes smirked their humor up at Anderson. "And you could probably hold three." Alucard leaned back on the wall, settling comfortably against Alex, legs stretched out, eyes resting fondly on the den across the room. "Don't worry about feeding them. The parents, and other adults ghasts if we had them, will chew and regurgitate the food for the babes. Spot isn't likely to leave them, either. My ghasts would haul bodies out of the cemetaries until I stopped them; we had rotten corpses stacked ten high as every ghast tried to feed the mother!" Clearly, that was a fond and amusing memory to Alucard and even Seras giggled at the thought. Alex was disgusted, but then again, he was human.

"Give them plenty to eat, and they'll make sure the babies get fed. It takes another four or five months until you'll see them come out of the den, although we can enter to see them." Alucard's lips turned up as he faced Alex and snidely added, "You'll just have to settle for pictures until then."

"So...they're like kangaroos?" Seras's question was a good one, and Alucard hummed in approval.

"Yes, with tiny babies. But don't look for a pocket, either! And at five months or so, they'll be running all over the basement. Within a year, they should be half-grown. Depending on how many Spot has, we may lose a few as they wander off to find new homes. We'll need to help them, or they'll starve quickly. They can't last as long as an adult can without food, and a few bites of formaldehyde-soaked flesh would kill them. They're surprisingly sturdy until then. Human babies die often, but I've never lost a baby Ghast!" Alucard looked smugly proud then, and Seras practically sparkled with anticipation.

Alex could only stare at the table, numb. Three to nine babies. And Fluffy would be dragging everything he could out of the freezers and growth vats, too. For the baby maggots. Not even endearing like a little human baby, not the wrinkled little gray infant he'd been expecting. Rotten food, giant maggots... Oh, this was going to be disgusting.

Seras and Alucard? They were beaming at the little wooden fort like any proud parents.

Well, at least he could now plan for the event. And the very first thing he was going to do was to restrict Seras's bed purchases to things that could easily be washed or hosed down! Rotten eyeballs had a reek all of their own, and he suspected that den would be crammed full of decaying bits.

This was going to be...interesting.

Oh, no.  



	50. Chapter 50 Speckles

I had a reviewer (the one that inspired me to pick up this story) solemnly state that Spot and Fluffy needed a baby named Speckles. It burrowed its way into my mind and this came out.

-v- -v-

Of the four little maggots, Speckles was actually kinda...cute. As long as you didn't have a functioning nose, that was. They'd been out of the nest less than a day before the ghast had decided that Alex was "His". Alucard and Seras thought it was hysterical, and Alucard admitted he'd never seen a ghast take to a human before. But, with Alex's scent permeating the bedroom and basement as much as their own, and with him not quite human in ways that were very detectable to the vampires...Speckles had decided he was "Good Enough."

Alucard had pointed out with malicious delight that bonding was permanent. Alex had been horrified, bemused, and thankfully very calm about the situation.

Seras had been more preoccupied with Spot's reluctant acceptance of Alex. He'd allowed the ghast's offspring to crawl all over him, and had rescued them repeatedly when, like kittens, they managed to get into places they had no hope of getting out of. Even worse, like vampires, they loved enclosed spaces. He'd pried one of them out of the ductwork on four different occasions in less than a day. And out of a crate. And an old barrel. And a cabinet...the baby had fallen through the rotten top and was too young to understand how a door worked. After seeing his patient retrieval of its young, Spot had finally mellowed considerably.

Alex was also glad to see that the ghast's regenerative abilities were continuing to work. His strike would have killed almost anything but a vampire, but Spot had pulled through. Alucard and Seras had fussed and fussed over the ghast, and once it was clearly on its way to recovery, Alucard had told Alex that they could heal almost anything that didn't kill them immediately. Not as fast as a vampire, more at a human speed...but it was slow and steady.

That thick ropy scar was now a thin, faded pink line, half the length it had been.

Alex was delighted beyond words to know that the damage wasn't permanent. It was a relief to know that he could go to visit Seras without a squalling ghast trying to decide whether to hide behind Seras (and close to him) or to run and hide behind furniture (farther from him...but also farther from Seras). It was good to know that all four babies were healthy and active and, with no negative experiences, very trusting of humans.

It would have been better if they hadn't considered every human to be a wonderful climbable toy. They'd gotten onto the first floor today and terrified and disgusted half the staff, while amusing the hell out of any staff member that had been far enough away to avoid the stench and the hands. The smell was still lingering up there.

And now it was going to be embedded in his clothes. Why did the ghast have to pick HIM?

Still, he thought, scratching the chin of the blissful little monster curled up in his lap, they were almost cute, in a twisted sort of way.

Almost.

It was going to take some work getting used to that smell. 


	51. Chapter 51 Ghastly Christmas

Okay, the Enola Christmas Story triggered this,  
combined with several recent reviews. Short, but fun; I smiled while writing. Enjoy! 


	52. Ghastly Christmas Really Grrr

*Weird. It, for some reason, did NOT upload the rest of this the first time! Trying again!*

-v-v-

A Ghastly Christmas

The ghastlings were having their first Christmas. Out of respect for the troops, Alex had kept them downstairs, but they'd still managed to catch the low-level but constant excitement from the troops and maids. The Head of Hellsing did her duty as a lord and the halls were decked and bedecked with lights and wreaths, at least those visible to the outside. Cinnamon and pine scented the air, and there were fine desserts and drinks for soldiers, maids, chefs, mechanics...all the people whose efforts kept the manor running smoothly.

The basement was far less bedecked. Still, long habits were hard to break, and Alex had strung a bit of tinsel and some lights along the main corridor. He'd even tried a tree.

That...was a mistake.

At a few months old, the ghasts were not yet half-grown but were agile and active and curious. In short, it was like setting a pack of thirty-pound kittens loose on the poor tree.

It had lasted nearly five minutes before toppling over with happy shrieks from the babies tangled in the branches, the last few ornaments hitting the ground to roll and rattle about. An hour to find the trimmings and decorations, an hour to decorate with the help of Seras (Alucard couldn't be bothered), two, perhaps three minutes to enjoy looking at it, and then...the trio of terror had descended upon it. Speckles had initially chosen to clamber up him, instead, but that hadn't lasted past the destruction of the first few ornaments before the ghast launched from his shoulders to the tree!

Still, he couldn't be angry. It looked so darn cute grinning up at him from the tangle of greenery, totally pleased with itself, and that silly Santa hat he'd bought for it somehow still attached, though dangling sideways off an ear!


	53. Chapter 53 Ghastly New Years

Ghastly New Years

The ghasts and ghastlings were practically falling over themselves in an excitable, excited, babbling and gabbling pile as they scampered to the waiting truck. Alucard and Seras hopped into the back, unnecessarily attempting to coax the ghasts into it. Entirely unnecessary, for the tumble of grey bodies had launched into it immediately. The adults had always loved hunts and had quickly learned that they'd get pats and scratches from the mercs if they allowed them close enough, and if there were injuries, tidbits from the medics too. Ghastly, but, well, that's what they were!

Speckles had followed him happily to the truck but while he was watching the rest of the family pile into the back with the laughing 'pires, it had watched him shrewdly, and then clambered into the front seat where it sat, squeaking and squawking happily. The baby was, he was proud to observe, easily the brightest of the litter. It had realized he'd be driving and decided to join him up front. Well, he was dressed warmly, and he'd keep the windows cracked and the vents blowing, and hopefully the reek wouldn't be too bad. Speckles was an endearing little thing, with the size and energy level of any two-year-old human child, providing the child had been crammed full of candy bars, sweets, and soft drinks!

They'd had a slightly-modified toddler seat added to the truck. Those in the back had to take their chances; troop transports had padded seats and reinforced sides, and Hellsing's included belts, but no safety harnesses anywhere near a suitable size for the "kids". A sturdy padded crate sat on the floor and the baby ghasts piled into it, squabbling over positions. Were they human, he had no doubt he'd have been hearing "but he's on MY side" and "Don't touch me!" from them. Still, they were excited and happy; this wasn't a hunt, but the vampires were cheerful (or as much so as Alucard became) and riding out without any troops around them was a novel experience. Even from the front seat, with the barrier between him and the cargo area...he could hear their excited chirps and squeaks.

A soldier came out with a big crate and passed it up to Alucard, and then...they were off, rolling out the gates and down the road with the deep blue black of late evening rapidly fading into night. They'd headed out as soon as the vampires were awake...and before they were more than past the gates, the first fireworks were shrieking into the air.

Alex pushed down harder on the accelerator immediately and the truck rumbled and lurched down the road...and he fled the New Years "festivities" beginning behind them! One miserable experience his first year with the vampires, and he'd taken to removing them as soon as the sun set. The men restrained themselves from touching any of the fireworks/ammunition/Godonlyknowswhat until they were away; one pants-wetting experience with an angry Alucard and a premature firecracker had solidified that!

This year, with the ghasts, a hotel or bed-and-breakfast was out of the question. They'd need to stay somewhat close; vampires and other beasties were aware that the noise and commotion of New Years and the traveling and overnighting and late-nights at pubs could mean a feast with no one the wiser that people were missing for at least a day or more. A small ghoul clean-up wasn't unusual the night after, nor hunting for some "wee beastie" that had used the havoc of the night to create its own bit of mayhem! He kept to within an hour or two of the estate...which limited options.

Except that this year, with the ghasts, he was trying something a bit...different.

It wasn't long before they were trundling down lanes between stands of trees, Speckles staring wide-eyed at the view, sniffing busily at the scents of pine and oak and leaves and other foresty aromas. They didn't cover the reek of ghast, but they helped. And it was a park...complete with hiking trails and a pavilion, and almost guaranteed to be empty this night! Pulling up to the small pavilion with its covered roof and picnic table, complete with running water and a flushing loo, he smiled to himself. The babies were in for a treat; this would be an all-new experience for them! They'd been allowed on two hunts so far, both times in city limits. Other that the small bit of trees around the estate, they had no experience at all with woodlands. Well, time for that to change.

Baby ghasts could climb. That was his first discovery. The adults stayed ground-bound, but the babies scrambled up and down the pines, squawking and chattering excitedly and occasionally needing rescue, like some sort of inept squirrels. Speckles got "stuck" more than all the others put together, and he had the sinking sensation that the sly humor of Alucard might have found a kindred soul in this baby! Still, they rampaged about, splashing about in the streams, vaulting over a falled trunk, racing about playing tag while the adults trailed more sedately behind the vampires and Alex.

By the time they'd returned to the truck, the babies had nearly worn themselves out. Alex had the foresight to pack a ghoulish "snack" from the vats, and all six had torn into and through the stash in moments. Also tucked away in the crate were a handful of toys, and Alucard and Seras had all six of the ghasts playing fetch while they shrieked shrilly and tumbled over each other.

And shrieked, and shrieked, and shrieked. With high-pitched, brain-drilling squeals from each and every baby. He'd brought blankets and a pillow, expecting to nap briefly on the seat while his charges played...but had a sneaking suspicion it just might have been quieter back at the estate!


End file.
